5 Tips to Help Maintain Your New Year’s Fitness Goals Throughout the Year | Health First

For some of us, it’s never easy getting back in the gym after the holidays. While we’re used to feasting on holiday comfort foods, the beginning of the year is when the shift to become healthier kicks into gear.

Unfortunately, most people who begin the year with a fitness resolution fall off the wagon after a few weeks or months. But our Pro-Health & Fitness Center Exercise Specialist Katie Munn is here to lend a helping hand.

Here are her top five recommendations on how to maintain your New Year’s fitness resolutions for months to come.

It’s time to make your realistic and achievable plan for your realistic and achievable goals. Only you know what your body can and cannot do, so it’s important to stay practical and achievable in the workout routines that you choose. It’s important to find out what drives you and what gives you that adrenaline rush. It’s crucial to create an exciting and realistic fitness plan to reach your goals.

It is important to track your fitness progress every step of the way. If you are not seeing progress, it is time to switch up the routine and try a different approach. Consider trying new cardio machines, take a new fitness class and outdoor activities you’ve always wanted to pursue. Get creative and choose a tracking method that will work for you. There are many different phone apps for tracking, daily fitness logs/journals, visual graphs and charts.

While it’s important to reward yourself after reaching important health milestones, it doesn’t always have to be food-related. It can be new clothes, a well-deserved nap or a trip to the movies. You know what drives you to succeed, and your reward should not regress progress.

It’s easy to get disappointed and feel like quitting, which is why having a support system is an important element on your health journey. Family and friends are often great resources for maintaining fitness resolutions. This isn’t going to be a walk in the park, so having someone to lean on will help push you through emotionally and physically challenging days.

We all strive to be healthy, happy and fully satisfied when it comes to our bodies. It is extremely important to stay hydrated and maintain a well-balanced diet. The ability to listen to your body and being attentive to your vitamin, mineral and caloric intake will only enhance your fitness resolutions.