8 Tips to Jumpstart Your Fitness Journey in the New Year
A new year means a new beginning. For a lot of us, that means that we have a list of goals we’re trying to accomplish. Some of the most common goals we start on January 1st are fitness and wellness goals, here are eight tips to make sure you’re able to crush those goals this new year!
1. Define your goals
One mistake a lot of people make is that we don’t have a clear, defined goal. To create a goal that you can stick to it needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-sensitive. So instead of just saying something like, “ I want to lose weight this year”, your goal should sound more like, “I want to lose 35 pounds by December 31, 2021, by eating 1550 calories per day and working out at least 4 times per week.”
2. Make a plan
After you have narrowed down your goals, you need a plan. This plan should incorporate your workout split, calorie and macro goals, check-in days, and maybe even an appointment with a registered dietician and/or personal trainer.
3. Focus on nutrition
You’ve definitely heard the saying “abs are made in the kitchen” and it’s one hundred percent true. Your fitness journey is eighty percent nutrition and twenty percent exercise. If you are looking to lose weight, you need to be in a caloric deficit. This means you need to be consuming fewer calories than your body is burning per day. However, you need to make sure that you are still eating enough so your body burns fat instead of storing it in fear of starvation. (This is where that registered dietician or personal trainer comes in to help you.) If you are trying to build muscle you need to be in a caloric surplus.
4. Find an accountability partner
This can be a friend that has the same level of commitment as you do or as simple as hiring a trainer. If a friend is accompanying you on your journey make sure that you are able to push each other especially on the days when you may be less than enthusiastic about heading to the gym.
5. Track your progress
This is the most important step. Tracking your progress allows you to see changes and make adjustments accordingly. The number on the scale can be deceiving but there are so many other ways to track progress. Instead of weighing yourself every day or week try taking progress pictures, body measurements, or go off the way your clothes look and feel.
6. Stay hydrated
A one percent decrease in hydration results in a ten percent decrease in the function of our brain. We need water more than any other nutrient. Our bodies are made up of over seventy percent water. In order to feel good, our bodies must function properly. In order to function properly, our bodies need water!
7. Be kind to yourself
Remember this is a journey, not a race. You will face many bumps and turns in the road. Acknowledge that you are human and mistakes happen. Navigate these downfalls with grace and forgiveness. One bad day doesn’t mean all your progress stops. One cheat meal doesn’t mean everything is a loss.
8. Remember your why
Why did you start this journey in the first place? Why are you putting in all this time and energy? And why are you trying to make these changes to your life? Dig deep, this will be the thing that you’ll need to turn to and use on the days when this journey gets hard.
