Exercising fitness habits
Find obstacles now and have a Plan B if you veer away from your New Year’s goals
Chances are you have grand plans for 2018: Lose weight, get fit, eat healthy.
But unless you’ve prepped carefully, you’re about as likely to succeed as you would be trying to bake a baguette without an oven.
“You have to have the right ingredients in place,” says Devin Maier, managing director of Balance Gym.
So, seize today. If you plan to be healthier in the new year, get ready now, Maier says. We asked him and other fitness and health experts to share ideas on how to best prepare for fitness success in 2018.
SET THE RIGHT GOAL
If your goal is “get healthy” in general, define your goal more narrowly, says Rebecca Scritchfield, a dietitian and life coach.
“People often have a hard time creating and sustaining healthy habits if the goal is too vague and too broad,” she says.
Start with one narrow, specific goal, she says. Then later, perhaps a couple of months from now, you can branch out.
And make that goal realistic. A common reason people sour on their resolutions is that they didn’t set realistic goals to begin with, Maier says. You gained 50 pounds in five years and yet you are determined to lose it in five months?
MAKE TIME
Make time for exercise or eating healthy or whatever your goal is, Maier says: “Ask yourself, when can I fit this in? And then mark your calendar. Make it an appointment.”
If the gym is out of your way, are you likely to make it three times a week?
The week before Jan. 1 can be a good time to experiment with what works and what doesn’t, Maier suggests.
FIND YOUR COMMUNITY
If you decide to work out instead of going to happy hour, will you feel like the odd man or woman out?
Maier suggests it doesn’t have to be either/or.
“Do happy hour Thursday and SoulCycle Wednesday and Friday,” he suggests.
CrossFit and various boutique studios — be they yoga or cycling or boxing — have created their own sense of community, Maier says. But other gyms, and running and cycling groups, can provide that same feeling of belonging.
Ask around now to see whether or not your existing community is interested in joining you in your healthful habit. “You need to surround yourself with people who live the lifestyle you want to live,” Maier says.
GIVE YOURSELF MOTIVATION
For a new habit to stick, you need to feel motivated, Scritchfield says. This is very individual. For some people, it helps to use fitness trackers; for others, it’s the community; some might be content with “I just feel better.”
Take the time before Jan. 1 to figure out what motivates you. You’ll need that motivation when the going gets tough (around February), Scritchfield says.
For some, the answer is to get a personal trainer who designs a program that works and who holds you accountable. For others, it can be a group exercise instructor or just a particular kind of music, suggests yoga teacher Faith Hunter. “You have to enjoy ... what you do or it won’t stick,” she says.
Some are motivated by new equipment — a new mixer for smoothies or the latest fitness tracker to count calories and performance. Make sure you have the right equipment starting on Day 1. That could mean anything from the right shoes to healthful food in your pantry.
MAKE A PLAN B
“First of all, know you’re not alone and it’s not hopeless when you screw up,” Scritchfield says. “And then ask yourself, what is my recovery plan?”
Don’t wait until you stumble. Figure out your Plan B for recovery now. What happens if your schedule gets in the way of home-cooked meals? How will you address missed workouts?
Don’t let a slip-up become an excuse for veering off your path, Scritchfield says. Maybe you can find a way to order in healthful food or reschedule a missed workout as soon as possible.
But a Plan B should also include self-compassion.
“Don’t get stuck in negative thinking or the compare-and-despair trap,” says Scritchfield. “Remember that it’s feelings of hope and confidence that make people change.”