Start the new year with a new you!

After the holidays are over we are back to our daily routines; work, commitments, and timetables. Gone are the days of endless feasts on minced pies, mulled wine, and delicious roast dinners. What is left is the reality of our scale likely to show a bigger number than before. There is no better time than the beginning of the year to start a new health routine, and start exercising if you haven’t done so until now. This is nothing to do with resolutions for the new year, those promises are often not kept anyway. We talk about a new year, and a new you. Here are 6 tips to find motivation to exercise and to stay motivated through the year of 2018.

My 6 tips to find motivation to exercise

1. Commit to a goal with an actual reward

Set proper goals for your routine such as ‘I want to fit in to my little black dress before the end of winter’. ‘I want to loose 6kg of body fat in 2018 and maintain the fat loss (no yoyo diets here!)’. But you can also commit things like ‘I want to tone up to look good in my bikinis’, or ‘completely revamp my currently unhealthy eating habits’. There is a difference between deciding to change something in your life, and committing to change a specific thing. Specification gives you clarity on what you want to achieve. Be gracious with yourself and find a suitable reward to motivate yourself further. If you are not sure where to start, ask for help. You are not alone with wanting or needing changes in your life, talk to your doctor, visit your local gym, and ask a nutritionist or personal trainer.

2. Find your tribe

Starting something new on your own can be challenging and at times daunting. Find a support group for your choice of exercise and join them to train together. Be it a new gym, a yoga class, or a running group. People who do exercise in groups experience further benefits than just getting in to shape. Peer support (and sometimes a healthy amount of peer pressure) will not only keep you motivated to show up, but you are guaranteed to have someone to cry and laugh together. There is nothing better for the spirit than suffering through a HIIT session together. You can also bond with your team mates over meal plans, exercise outfits and personal targets. You just found a new group of (healthy) friends right there.

3. Go public!

Once you’ve made your plan to exercise, make it public. Tell your family and friends, announce it on Facebook, put a before photo of you on your Instagram account, blog about it…etc. whatever fits your style. The main point here is that you make yourself accountable for your actions. Research shows that accountability helps to stay committed to (fitness) goals.

4. Document your exercise routine

Open a diary and make notes about your starting weight, measure your body and track the changes regularly. I don’t suggest a daily obsession here, but rather a written journal what works and what possibly doesn’t. If you commit to a healthy diet and regular exercise, there ought to be positive changes in your body shape (and emotional well-being too). Seeing the figures changing will give you a good amount of feel-good rush from time to time.

5. Read, listen and watch (find inspiration)

Find endless inspiration in case studies, meal plans, other people’s experiences, and exercise routines. Sign up for a couple of blogs, read books and exchange ideas and tips with your team mates. Living and breathing fitness helps to keep your mind focused while you further your knowledge in the field. The more you know about how to be fit, the better you will be at it.

6. Challenge and appreciate yourself

Commit to (attainable) goals to challenge yourself, while you have to work hard to achieve them. Lukewarm goals that are at your door step, or goals that are impossible to reach  won’t keep you excited and motivated for long. Fitness is a lifestyle; a continuous  learning and a wonderful journey. Some of us need more time and effort, while for others things go easily, quick and naturally. Age, genetics, life circumstance also add to the differences. Don’t beat yourself up if things move slower than you wish. Keep on exercising, stick to healthy eating habits, and you will see the benefits soon enough. If you need help, reach out and talk to me, I am just a click away!