How Is Your Fitness Resolution Progressing?

A few weeks ago everyone was buzzing about goals for 2012. Of course, just like every year, fitness was on the top of many lists. Was it at the top of yours? If so, how is it going? If you are struggling with your fitness goals read on. This article is dedicated to small changes and clever ideas to help you stay on track.

At this point, 25% of those who made any type of resolution for New Year’s have given up. Another 11% will drop by the end of the month. Why does this happen? Because, change is hard. Changing a behavior takes effort, work, sacrifice and a plan.

If you are struggling with a promise you made to yourself revisit your plan. Enough time has past since the New Year for you to know what is working and what is not. Think carefully about how you can build momentum to stay positive and limit your exposure to what is holding you back. It is perfectly okay to change a plan. It is not okay to give up. Use what has been successful to strength your plan and your resolve.

All plans, goals, resolutions, promises (whatever you wish to call them) should be written and should be SMART: Specific. Measureable. Accountable. Realistic. Time bound. For instance:

Specific – I will workout 20 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:30 am. I will schedule these workouts in my planner every Sunday morning.

Measureable – I will keep a journal of my progress and increase the duration of the workout by 2 minutes every other week.

Accountable- If I don’t complete my 3 workouts weekly, I will donate $50 dollars to my least favorite charity.

Realistic – I will have weekly make up days in my planner in case something comes up and I am unable to workout.

Time bound – At the end of 30 weeks I will have completed 90 total workouts and I will reward myself with a new track suit.

Consider this carefully and then be detail oriented. This will be your foolproof guide to success.

Another really important time to have a plan is when eating out. If you want to lose weight you must be organized when it comes to food. You cannot fly by the seat of your pants. This is especially true at restaurants. Meals served at restaurants are often too large for a single serving. We have all heard the strategy cut your meal in half right away and either wrap it for home or send it away. This is a great idea. It is even better when combined with some forethought. Before you step into a restaurant look up the menu on the web. If you take a few minutes to think about your choices without distractions you are more likely to choose wisely.

Finally, if you already have a working plan and need fresh ideas on how to improve your daily fitness routine, consider these.

• Sit on your fitness ball at work or in front of the television. Some people might think it is strange and look at you funny, but it is no joke. You will be working your core. Plus, I find bouncing on the ball helps me think.
• When watching television use the commercial break to your advantage. Each time a commercial comes on hit the floor. Jump rope. Do a set of push-ups. Hold a plank or a wall sit. (A wall sit would be challenging!) Every little bit helps. Plus, this will keep you from wandering into the kitchen.
• Take a walk during lunch. This does not have to be strenuous. Just stretch your legs and get your blood pumping. I consider this idea a two-for: walking will help manage stress and it will leave you with less time to eat.