“New Year, new me.” How many times have you said it, set out to improve your health and fitness, and found yourself back where you started by March? It is easy to get caught up in the January hype. Most people have good intentions; the problem is that intentions without planning rarely survive the first busy week. Here is how to turn New Year fitness resolutions into realistic goals you actually stick to, from the team at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading, who watch it happen every January.
1. Write your goals down, and make them realistic
Sit down and put pen to paper. Losing weight, toning up, building muscle, learning a martial art: whatever it is, writing it down keeps it real and reminds you what you are working toward. Then make it achievable. If you want to lose weight, write your target and the steps to get there. Eight kilograms in 12 to 16 weeks is very doable at half a kilo to a kilo a week; eight kilograms by February is not. It is a process, not a quick fix. Our guide to setting fitness goals covers the SMART method in detail.
2. Plan the week, not just the goal
Next, write down your training and meals for the week ahead. Starting from scratch? Monday morning, a brisk 20-minute walk, adding five minutes each week. Have a gym membership? Look at the class timetable and book sessions in like appointments. Classes surround you with people who have the same intentions, which is enormous when motivation dips, and they are a great way to meet people and find a training partner. Browse the Hammer’s timetable and read the benefits of group fitness classes.
3. Avoid the six-days-a-week trap
A big reason resolutions fail is the belief that you must train six days a week, flog yourself every session and barely eat. That is a recipe for burnout by week three. Three or four good sessions a week is plenty to start. For weight loss you do need a calorie deficit, but a modest one of around 300 to 400 calories below maintenance is enough, and nutrition does most of the work; the old 80/20 rule of diet to training is roughly right. You do not have to live on salad and water. If you are unsure what to eat, talk to a trainer or a qualified dietitian; you will be surprised what you can enjoy and still lose weight. See calorie deficit vs surplus.
4. Plan for the weekend
The other resolution killer is “social time”. Drinks on Saturday, greasy food on Sunday to cope, and the week’s work undone. You can still enjoy yourself without going overboard. Swap the vodka and lemonade for vodka, soda and lime; look for the better option on the menu; or plan one treat meal and enjoy it properly. One meal is one meal, not a whole weekend. And when Monday arrives and the guilt kicks in, know that one treat meal changes nothing. Do not waste energy beating yourself up; prep your meals, book your sessions and move forward. Read why the fat loss mindset matters more than perfection.
5. Keep your goals visible
Hang your written goals somewhere you will see them every day: the fridge, the bathroom mirror, your phone’s lock screen. If there is a piece of clothing you want to fit into again, hang it where you can see it too. Daily visual reminders keep the goal alive on the days motivation goes quiet.
6. Measure the right things
The scales lie from day to day. Track your training sessions completed, how your clothes fit, a monthly photo and a waist measurement, and review progress every four weeks rather than every morning. See how to track gym progress.
One small step every day
You will not see results overnight, but keep chipping away and one day you will look up and realise you have arrived. The people who make January stick are not the most motivated; they are the ones with a written plan, realistic targets and the grace to get back on track after a slip.
Want help building the plan? Our personal trainers at Hammer’s Gym write programs and nutrition guidance around your goals, and January is the perfect time to claim a free one-day trial. We are in Nunawading, minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster. Make this the year it sticks.