Welcome to 2024 – a new year filled with new opportunities, including the opportunity to improve your health and wellbeing.
With good intentions, many people use the New Year to set big, challenging goals but struggle to succeed because they become overwhelmed, demotivated or realize just how hard their resolutions are. This will not be you! This year, you will set a realistic resolution and stick to it. Here’s how…
Choose a Specific Goal
It’s easy to say, “I’m going to lose weight” or “I’m going to get more sleep,” but these don’t offer much direction. Instead, choose a specific goal that you can work towards and reward yourself for when you know you’ve reached it.
For example, a specific resolution could be, “I’m going to lose 10 pounds by July 2024. I will do this by walking for 30-minutes every day.” Not only is this goal specific, it includes a deadline and it’s achievable.
Learn more about setting SMART fitness goals here!
Create a Plan
It takes time, commitment and consistency to achieve a goal. Creating a plan will help you map out how you’ll work towards your resolution, so you can invest the energy you need to succeed.
Continuing with the example above, you might consider the following:
- Time of day to complete your 30-minute walk
- Whether you can fit your walk into another activity, such as your job
- What you’ll do if you miss a walk or don’t complete the full 30 minutes
- How you’ll stay motivated to continue walking
Answer these types of questions (which will obviously change based on your unique goal), write down your plan and put it in a place where you can see it every day.
Check In
A lot can happen over the course of the year, so it’s important to check in and make sure your goal is still relevant to you and that you’re on track to achieve it. You can decide how frequently to check in, but try to do so at least quarterly.
If you end up losing 10 pounds relatively quickly, adjust or change your goal to continue improving your health and wellbeing. On the other hand, if your circumstances change and you’re unable to achieve your goal due to factors out of your control, you can reevaluate and update your resolution as needed.
Find an Accountability Buddy
What’s an accountability buddy? This is a family member, friend, colleague or coach who will hold you accountable for working towards your goal in 2024. Basically, find someone who will check in on your progress and encourage you to keep going.
From all the volunteers at VTAS Fitness Centre, have a wonderful year and keep kicking your fitness goals! If you aren’t a member, learn more about our membership options.
