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Farewell Fitness Goals: What to Do When January’s Motivation Disappears
Farewell, Fitness Goals: What to Do When January’s Motivation Disappears
Visits to Gold’s Gym jump by 40% during December and January, and other popular gyms also see a surge in traffic during this time. Unfortunately, The Wall Street Journal reports that many well-meaning gym members lose interest in their exercise resolutions around the third week of January. If you’re worried you might become one of those people, you’re in the right place. We’ve got 4 tips to help you stay on track when January’s fitness-related goals begin to lose their appeal.
Switch Up Your Routine
January started off great: You woke up early each day to visit the gym, or you used your lunch break to stroll around town. You set a schedule and stuck with it, but after a couple weeks, you started to dread your daily workouts.
Sound familiar? Then it’s time for a change. Some people find comfort in doing the same thing day after day, but many folks crave variety. If you usually go for a run, try swimming or biking instead. If you like walking outside, head to a park or riverfront for a change of scenery.
Create a Home Gym
Depending on where you live, January may bring bitter cold, heavy snow, or freezing rain. If you find it difficult to leave the house during the winter, bring the gym to your home. You don’t need fancy equipment; you can get in shape with things you already have around the home.
Here are some ideas to help you tackle fitness goals at home:
- Use canned goods as weights
- Hop over phone books
- March up and down the stairs
- Watch fitness videos on TV or YouTube
- Do exercises, such as stomach crunches or jumping jacks, that don’t require equipment
Work Out With a Friend or Pet
If you’re an introvert or a stay-at-home parent who needs an escape from running the household, you may welcome time alone during your workouts. If not, you may find that you become bored, restless, or even lonely as you strive to achieve your fitness goals. Luckily, you don’t have to get in shape alone. In fact, you’re less likely to bail on workouts if you exercise with a friend, and you might even push yourself harder.
If you don’t have any fitness-minded friends or family members, consider working with a personal trainer or asking your gym if they connect gym members with workout buddies. You can also search for a local running group via the Road Runners Club of America or connect with faraway friends via apps like Map My Walk. Joining an adult volleyball or kickball league or participating in group exercise classes at a local gym are other fun options.
Pets are a great option when it comes to exercise. Walking your dog around the park or taking a run will give you some exercise and your pet will enjoy it as much as you.
Track Results
In a world where you can connect with friends instantly via text and have online items delivered within hours via Amazon Prime, it’s easy to become discouraged when fitness progress is slow. However, just because you don’t see what’s happening yet doesn’t mean that changes aren’t occurring. Weigh yourself several times a week, preferably daily, so you can see how your workouts are benefitting your body. A recent weight loss study found that people who underwent daily weigh-ins maintained a lower weight than individuals who weighed themselves less often.
If you aren’t a fan of tracking body weight, keep a daily log that details your post-workout feelings instead. Do your clothes fit comfortably? Are you in a good mood? Have cravings for junk food subsided? You can also measure your legs, thighs, and waist to see how your body’s shape changes over time.
You might occasionally have days when you don’t feel like hitting the gym or pounding the pavement outside, and that’s okay. Make sure those days don’t turn into weeks – or even months – by utilizing the helpful tips above.