January is always a special month, especially after surviving a year like 2020. Many of us are ushering in 2021 with the hope for a brighter future.
Often times, many people flock to gyms with a fiery motivation to hit their goals and make this year different from the last one, especially after possibly putting on a few extra quarantine pounds.
But this fiery motivation can be tough to sustain. All too often, a couple of months in and the momentum you once had starts to fade away.
Thankfully, you can avoid this, and today we are telling you how to do just that. Here are some helpful tips to make your fitness stick after January.
The Best Plan is a Consistent One
It is 2021…finally…and you are motivated to crush your new fitness goals. Each Sunday, you sit down and plan out your week. You write in your training sessions, walks, and even time to meal plan. But wait a second! Before you plan out every hour of every day, remember this: the best plan is one you can execute consistently, well beyond just a week or two.
Training every day in January may seem like a great start, but do you think you can maintain it for 12 months? We encourage you to create a realistic plan that you can stick to for not just a month, but for the entire year.
What to do? Start with a goal that seems too easy, like training twice a week. Then, as you prove your consistency, you can add another day in for a walk, or perhaps an additional training day.
Align Your Fitness With Your Priorities
Next, we recommend that take some time to think about aligning your fitness with your true priorities in your life.
While there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to have six-pack abs come summer, look good naked, or be able to back squat 2x your bodyweight, take some time to consider your real priorities in life.
Do you want to be a role model for your community? Do you want to physically fit for the challenges you will face as a parent or grandparent? Take some time to sit and really think about what is actually important to you.
Then, think about how your fitness goals support these priorities. Developing a solid “why” behind your fitness goals will make it easier to be consistent in the long-term, especially on those days when you really don’t feel like training, or food prepping, as we all have those days.
Create a Supportive Lifestyle
A great way to make fitness stick past January is to build a lifestyle that supports your fitness goals.
This lifestyle could include joining a gym and becoming part of the community. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people will make sticking with your plans that much easier. You could substitute your happy hours or weekend brunches for walks and hikes with your friends and choose to eat at restaurants that align with your goals.
Whatever activity or behavior you choose to include, developing a supportive lifestyle will make it easier to achieve your goals, and a lot more fun!
Hire a Coach
The best way to make your fitness stick past January is to hire a coach. Contrary to what some think, these fitness professionals are not just for high-level athletes. They are a valuable resource for anyone striving to achieve new health and fitness goals. In fact, at OPEX Franklin, our high-level athletes is a very small percentage of our community.
Coaches are great for many reasons, but first and foremost, they hold you accountable. Your coach will check in with you weekly to see how you are doing, see if any obstacles have come up, or see if you need more of a challenge. Our coaches are great at collaborating with you and adjusting your personalized program when needed.
Further, a coach makes it easy to stick to your fitness goals because they reduce the amount of time and effort required. They tell you what to do and when to do it, taking the guesswork out of exercise, behavior, and nutrition. We let you be a professional in your area of expertise, and provide our expertise where ours is needed.
So do yourself a favor and schedule your free consult today. Hire a coach and make your fitness stick around all year!
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