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Originally Published: Jan 04, 2017

A New Year, A New You

It’s that time when many decide to make resolutions to fulfill in the new year. About 45% of Americans usually make resolutions. Four of the top ten resolutions made in 2015 were tied to health including the number one resolution: Lose Weight. Unfortunately, less than half of people maintain their resolution six months out.

So we asked acac personal trainers about their best tips for sticking to a fitness-related New Year’s resolution. Here’s what they said: 

  1. Schedule your workouts every week and write them down in your planner/calendar. – Sue Hulsebusch
  2. Make one realistic change at a time. If your goal is to lose weight, break it down into smaller goals, such as replacing sugary beverages with water during the day or walking on your lunch break. Pick one change, master that, then add another. – Nadine Miller
  3. Fitness is not an all-or-nothing proposition. When progress is slower than hoped, people often feel as though they’ve failed–even if they have abided by their training regimen completely. This thought process not only makes your progress less enjoyable, it increases the likelihood of falling off the wagon. Don’t beat yourself up when life happens. – Jordan Smuts
  4. Don’t just do cardio machines! Find something else you enjoy, such as shooting hoops or jumping rope in between strength training sets. This will make it more fun and still offer a great workout. Switch it up every couple weeks. – Aaron Mack
  5. Remember the key to real fitness success is that it is a long game. You’re better off starting a sustainable pattern than to trying to hit it hard every day for two weeks. Twenty-one workouts in three weeks can’t hold a candle to three workouts a week for seven weeks. – Mark Reinke
  6. Set a long-term goal for the year, and envisioning where you see yourself. Then set milestones throughout the year to mark your progress towards the end goal. – Josh Zeigler
  7. Take a picture of yourself, then ask yourself … will I be happier with the way I look in 3 months?  – Josh Stafford
  8. Keep a daily journal to record, track and stay accountable to your routine. It can include your food and water intake, workouts, sleep information, energy observations and any accomplishments to celebrate.  – Sue Hulsebusch
  9. Be specific with your resolution. Instead of “I’ll eat balanced meals”, try “I’ll have one serving of vegetables at each meal”. – Judy Reagan
  10. Keep moving! Every time you move, your goal should be to move better. Practice the movements that you want to be able to continue doing for life.  – Scott Williams 

Visit the club location nearest you to see club hours and fitness offerings:

Reference

  1. New Year’s Resolution Statistics; http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/