Are you struggling to keep up the momentum of your New Year’s resolution to get fit and healthy?

Don’t let this year be just like the last 10 when you started out strong, dropped off, and then lost the gains you made.

Here are five ways to keep yourself going!

ESTABLISH A GOAL
Setting a SMART goal will not only help you set a realistic goal, but lay out the brickwork to achieve it. SMART stands for: Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound. Being specific helps you stick to a goal because it gives you something to work towards. Having a measurable goal makes it easy to track your progress and helps you stay focused. Setting a goal that is not achievable is one of the easiest ways to get frustrated and give up. Having a relevant goal is important because if it’s not important to you, it will be much harder to want to do it. Lastly, having a target date for your goal gives you something to work towards every day and you can’t keep putting it off.

PHONE A FRIEND
Working out with a friend is not only fun, but you also help keep each other accountable. When you’re both at your best, you can push each other to work harder and achieve new heights! When one of you has a down day, the other one is there to pick you up and push you to get to the club. Workouts with a friend also add a social aspect, when many people just plug in their headphones and do their own thing. You can also drop into a Group Fitness class whether you fire up your metabolism and motivation in IGNITE or tone, stabilize, and increase your muscle endurance in Pilates Mat Plus. See yourself progress as you remain consistent and dedicated.

CREATE A SICK PLAYLIST
If you enjoy working out to music, spend some time building a playlist that excites you and keeps you pumped up. The worst thing that can happen during your workout is being in the middle of your squats when “I Swear” by All-4-One comes on.

SET AN ALARM
Even if you aren’t a morning person, set your alarm for about 15 minutes before you want to work out. Bonus Step: Set your alarm to wake up to a song that motivates you.

›› Author’s pick: “On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons.

FORM A PLAN
Going to work out without a plan can lead to overworking one area of the body, stopping because you get tired, or becoming unmotivated because you don’t know what to do next. If you have the experience, write yourself a plan so you can track your progress, For some variety, add some Group Fitness classes into your schedule. Depending on your goals, we have classes to strengthen your core (IGNITE Boxing, Pilates Mat Plus, and Ultimate 6-Pack), gain some serious strength (IGNITE, Ultimate Legs, and Ultimate Strength), or develop your mind-body connection (Gentle Flow Yoga and Vinyasa Flow Yoga). And the best part is that you don’t have to think about your workout – just show up. Lastly, whether it’s to keep yourself accountable or because you want to tap into expert knowledge, working with a personal trainer can be highly rewarding and help keep you motivated by meeting (or exceeding) your personal goals.

“Having a relevant goal is important because if it’s not important to you, it will be much harder to want to achieve it.”

By Cody Eldridge, Personal Trainer