We all struggle to keep our New Year’s resolutions. Habits may be hard to break, but they’re also really hard to build. When it comes to working out or getting fitter, your struggles might rooted in a few things you don’t even realize you’re doing.
You’re working out too much
Yes, there is such a thing. Your body needs to rest and recover and while it’s great you want to go all the time, not resting will make you more likely to feel burnt out after a few weeks. Instead, try going to the gym three or four times a week to spread it out during the week. This way you decrease the risk of injury, burnout, and overuse.
You do the same thing for every workout
If you like running, good for you! But not everyone is okay with slogging along on the treadmill for thirty minutes every day. While cardio equipement might feel safer, your workouts will be more enjoyable if you mix it up. Add in some weight lifting or interval training. Switch up cardio machines and try out that rower or the stair climber! If you really like the treadmill, then devote a few days a week to it and then do something different on the other days.
You haven’t set any goals
Goal setting is a huge part of successful resolutions. To cut down an hour long leadership seminar, the best goals are measurable and attainable. Find something you want to accomplish and be specific. Whether it’s to run two miles, squat 100lbs, or go to the gym four times a week, setting specific goals can be a huge motivator. You can use fitness apps or even just a notepad to track your progress. It’s best to pick a goal that is something you know you can do. If you are a full-time student that also works part time, working out everyday is probably not the best goal for you.
You aren’t prioritizing the gym
We all get busy. Sometimes that extra hour of sleep is more appealing than a sweaty weight room, but if you want to achieve your goals, you gotta set aside time to workout. Write it in your planner or on your calendar. Sign up for a workout class or a club if that will make you more reliable. Figure out if morning or evening workouts are better for you or maybe even go in the middle of the day. Find what works and stick with it.
You don’t have genuine motivation to workout
If you are only working out because you feel like you have to or because you dislike your body, than you are more likely to stop. If you view it as a punishment, you aren’t going to prioritize it or enjoy it. Work out because you enjoy challenges, want to improve yourself, or because you like it. Working out because you think you need to be punished for eating dessert or because you want to weigh a certain weight is not sustainable. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to eat healthier or to workout to imporve your health, but if you’re in the mindset that working out is a punishment for when you eat a cookie, than you won’t be hitting the gym every day for a year.
You haven’t discovered a workout you like
In case you didn’t notice from my earlier remarks on running: I do not like running. But that’s okay because I like weightlifting and I like to box. There are so many different ways to exercise. Try a yoga class, go climbing, bike, go on a hike, swim, do pilates, try boxing, play a sport for fun. There are SO many different ways to get moving so don’t feel like you need to stick on a cardio machine you hate for a good workout!
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