We’re already diving quickly into the New Year, and it’s about this time of year that many of us already seem to be falling off the New Year’s resolution bandwagon. Dieting can be hard, and getting into the habit of working out can be a daunting task when it’s something you’ve managed to completely avoid doing for the last 20 years!
Fortunately, there are some great ways to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions. This starts with picking a resolution that is something you will actually want to work on, instead of telling yourself you won’t eat pizza all year long. Here are five great tips to help keep you motivated to stay on track and finally attain your New Year’s resolution goals this year:
1. Surround yourself with inspiration.
If you feel completely uninspired to shed those 15 pounds, it’s probably not going to happen. Just wanting something isn’t enough. You need to keep yourself inspired so you’ll make good decisions that will help you reach your goals, instead of falling back into old habits and poor choices.
For instance, stick a picture of yourself at your ideal weight on the fridge so you have to look at it every time you open the fridge for a snack. Join fitness Facebook groups, sign up for fitness motivational emails or apps, and take some healthy cooking classes. Trade out bland, boring workout gear for something that gets you motivated, such as Apeiron Yoga’s fun floral Luxe yoga mat. Surround yourself with inspiration to keep your goals at the forefront of your mind and your heart open to making the right decisions too!
2. Make it fun!
If you don’t like it, you won’t do it. If your resolution is to start working out regularly so you have more energy but you are not into running, getting yourself a treadmill is probably not the best idea. You simply won’t be motivated to workout. Instead, explore other workouts until you find something you like. Sign up for a gym membership and start attending different workout classes until you find that workout you really enjoy!
Tried that and still completely dislike working out? Step out into the great outdoors and start exploring activities like hiking, biking, skiing, kayaking or swimming. Keep trying new activities until you find something that feels more like fun than a workout!
3. Dress for success.
Sometimes just buying some new fabulous workout clothing we truly feel good and confident in, is all we need to help us find the motivation to get geared up for the gym! Athletic wear has come a long way from baggy tees and slouchy sweats. Step up your workout wardrobe with some motivational tanks and colorful leggings to show off your personality and get you excited to exercise.
Take it a step further and reward yourself with more workout clothing and gear as you reach your fitness goals to keep the motivation going! Go shopping and buy that dress you’ve been eyeballing, but in the size you want to be. Often times spending your hard-earned money can be a big motivator and having that dress in your closet waiting for you may be all you need to start working out regularly and eating more healthy.
4. Use products/equipment that work for you .
Attempting to accomplish your fitness goals when you have the wrong equipment is a sure way to fail. Just like the treadmill example I used above, if you’re not using the right products, you won’t stay motivated to eat right or workout regularly! Move out the deep fryer and bread maker, and buy a juicer to help you start making better decisions about food.
When it comes to exercise, workout equipment certainly isn’t one size fits all. For example, if you find yourself slipping and sliding on your mat during yoga or Pilates class, that doesn’t mean you should give up on yoga and pilates! You’ll likely just need to workout on a different type of mat, such as a slip-proof, microfiber yoga mat made specifically for sweaty practices. It might require some trial and error in the beginning of your fitness journey, but finding products and equipment that work with you will set you on the right track towards accomplishing the goals you set for yourself in the new year.
5. Find a partner!
If there’s one tip that will probably have the biggest effect on helping you stay motivated to reach your goals, this is probably it! We tend to value living up to others’ expectations of us, more so than our own expectations of ourselves. Find a partner to help hold you accountable. Whether you get a friend on board with you to workout regularly so you won’t slack off on gym visits, or you just want someone to help keep you motivated by checking in with you regularly on your progress – involving another person in reaching our resolutions can have a huge impact on whether or not we actually keep them!
There you have it, five tips to help you stay on track this year for keeping your wellness resolutions! Integrate as many of these as you can to keep yourself inspired, motivated, and maybe even actually excited to reach your resolutions this year! Check out more of Apeiron’s products to help inspire your fitness goals at apeironyoga.com.