New year, new you. You’re not alone if you want 2024 to be a healthier, more physically fit year. In fact, Forbes reports that improved fitness is the most common New Year’s Resolution, with 48% of surveyed Americans declaring this goal. At the same time, 44% of resolutions fail within two to three months.
Pay attention if you don’t want to be part of this statistic. Cultivating a new fitness habit – a lasting lifestyle change – isn’t easy. But it’s well worth the effort. Here are seven strategies that will help you transform your health!
7 Principles That Make Fitness Habits Stick
#1 – Focus on Consistency, Not Intensity
Begin with manageable goals that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine. Starting with small, achievable steps makes it more likely for you to stick with the habit. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself with an insurmountable goal. Focus on building a consistent habit first before worrying too much about intensity. Regular, moderate exercise is often more sustainable in the long run.
You can always crank up intensity as you go – but starting with a difficult ask may sabotage you.
#2 – Set Clear Goals
Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Having a clear objective will help you stay focused and motivated. If your goal is too general, you’re less likely to tackle it. Clear goals allow you to develop a practical approach. Instead of “get in shape,” make your goal targeted: lift xyz weight in six months, run a marathon in October, or hit xyz time in a 5k.
#3 – Create a Routine
Make exercise a non-negotiable part of your day by incorporating it into your existing routine. Let your new habit piggyback on an old one. Think about a natural “domino effect.” When you leave work, you change into your gym clothes. When you wake up, you have breakfast and go for a morning run.
#4 – Choose Enjoyable Activities
Pick exercises that you genuinely enjoy. If you think all exercise is an interminable slog, you won’t stick with it! Experiment with different activities until you find what you love. If running isn’t exciting for you, try weight training or swimming. Maybe you need to “gamify” your workout and play a sport. What’s important is doing exercises that make you feel accomplished and enthused.
#5 – Track Your Progress
Tracking progress helps you see how far you’ve come and motivates you to continue. Fitness trackers are more diverse than ever, offering a whole host of functions at a wide range of price points. Some, like FitBit, allow you to access an online community, including different challenges and competitions to complete. Take advantage of the technology at your fingertips!
#6 – Mix It Up
Avoid monotony by incorporating variety into your workouts. This can prevent boredom and challenge different muscle groups. Cross-training is beneficial in general (speaking as an endurance runner). It helps prevent injuries, for one, but it also helps keep you on your metaphorical toes. Your body won’t get too used to any one thing, making it harder to hit plateaus.
#7 – Eliminate Your Excuses
We all have excuses we can make. To establish a lasting habit, you must identify the excuses you’re most prone to making. Being tired, not having enough time, not having your clothes or equipment with you…the list can go on and on, from the legitimate to the flimsy. However, you can’t let even justifiable reasons get in your way. If you want fitness to be a priority, you must make it one. That means eliminating excuses and making room for exercise, period.
Out of town? Find a local trail or use the hotel gym. Too busy? You get up earlier. You never have your stuff with you? Keep your gym bag in the car.
Finally, hold it all together with this lynchpin: don’t let setbacks stop you from trying. You’re not going to do this perfectly. It takes time and effort. If you stop just because you skipped a day (or two) or aren’t meeting your expectations, you’ll never hit your goals. Get back up and try again. Trust me, you’re going to fall short. Give yourself some grace to make mistakes. Just don’t use those mistakes as an excuse to stop.
What helps you stay on track when forming a new habit? Share your tips in the comments.