What Happened to Your Resolutions? 5 Tips for Getting Re-Motivated

Think back to January 1, 2012. You may have been reeling from an overload of rich holiday foods, but chances are you were excited to begin a fresh new year, and probably had designs on becoming a healthier, happier new you. Now fast-forward to today. The year’s more than half way over – are you where you wanted to be?

If so, keep up the good work! But if you’ve let your resolutions fall by the wayside, don’t worry! It’s never too late to start (or restart) living the healthy, active life you want. Here are five ways to get back on track:

1. Revisit your Goals

Think back – why did you make your resolution in the first place? Is that goal still worthwhile? Is it attainable? If your goal isn’t important enough to you, you’ll lose interest fast, so consider revising your goals or setting new ones. If your long term goal is harder to achieve than you anticipated, make smaller short term goals to accomplish on a day to day basis. For best results, choose specific goals based on activity, time or frequency, such as running at least 30 minutes 2-3 times per week. You may not see results right away, but you’ll know you’re on the right track. Setting small, precise weekly or monthly goals will make it easy to track your progress. You can take pride in each accomplishment, and will be more motivated to keep it up.

2. Grab a Buddy

Being around others who share your health and fitness goals is a surefire way to increase your motivation. Workout with friends, join a running club, or sign up for a Pilates class.  You’ll get plenty of helpful encouragement from others, and you can provide encouragement in return. Plus you’ll be less likely to skip workouts if you have a friend, trainer or group to keep you accountable.  If you prefer to work out alone, you can still lean on others for that extra motivation thanks to social media. Tweeting about your training schedule or posting your sessions on Facebook lets others know that you’re working towards a goal, and makes it easy for them to support you. (Psst…runtastic PRO apps also offer live tracking and cheering features!)

3. Focus on “Wellness”

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, get in better shape or just stay fit, think of your efforts as a reward rather than a punishment. Dreading your after-work run because you’re already exhausted?  Think of how great you’ll feel after! Your body craves exercise and healthy foods, so you’re rewarding yourself by giving it those things. And if you stick with it, your body will reward you back!

4. Mix it Up

Fitness is a marathon, not a sprint, so you want to make sure your plan makes sense in the long term. If you’re still thinking of exercise as something you “should do” or “have to do,” try some different activities until you find the one you want to do. Deciding to run five days per week is great, but if you run five miles on the treadmill everyday, you’re likely to become bored and lose motivation. You’re also not going to see results. The human body will adapt to an exercise routine within about six to eight weeks, so if you don’t modify your routine you’re likely to reach a plateau. Luckily, it’s easy to modify your workout routine: change your scenery with a hilly outdoor route, throw in some sprints, or try a different cardio workout, like a spin class. By varying your routine, you’ll stay physically challenged, and will be mentally stimulated as well.

5. Stay Positive

If you haven’t exactly kept your resolutions, that’s okay! You’re human! Instead of focusing on your failures (like not working out every single day or indulging in a few too many cheeseburgers), focus on the improvements you have made, and the actions you’re going to take to keep improving. The same goes for results. Instead of thinking about the weight you haven’t lost yet, concentrate on the benefits you are seeing, like the great mood and energy burst your workouts deliver. And if you slip up, that’s positive too! Use a lazy day or a chocolate binge as motivation to recommit and work that much harder tomorrow.

Tell us about your fitness resolutions! What tips can you offer others to shake a fitness funk?