It’s incredibly common this time of year for people to resolve to get fit. In fact, according to just about every survey taken, exercising more is the most common New Year’s resolution for Americans, topping more than half our lists.
Whether you’re starting a new fitness regime this year or just picking up where you left off before the holidays, it’s important to have a plan. And, as with any successful plan, it needs to fit your unique needs and goals. We gathered some thoughts from our certified personal trainers at Mount Carmel Fitness Center about effective fitness planning for the New Year, and these are 5 things they thought you should know:
1. Set specific, intentional goals
The foundation of successful fitness planning is creating specific and intentional goals. You need to determine what exactly you’d like to achieve before you can decide how you’re going to achieve it. Do you want to lose weight, increase strength or stamina, or improve your flexibility? Once you know that, you can build your plan around that specific objective (or objectives).
2. Tailor workouts to your specific needs
Once you have a goal or goals, you need to find workouts that can help you meet them. That means figuring out what type of exercise best coincides with those goals (cardio, strength, stretching, etc.), how much you can and need to do, and the kind of schedule to set. Doing so will go a long way in determining your success.
3. Use activity benchmarking
One process that can help keep you on track is activity benchmarking. Essentially it means setting daily/regular activity goals for yourself to hit. If you don’t know what your benchmarks are, you can end up doing workouts that are either too intense or not intense enough for your fitness level, which can be counterproductive. So make sure you’re setting workout-specific goals that can help get you to your overall fitness goals.
4. Consider new exercises that you actually enjoy
One of the secrets of keeping any resolution is making it fun. The same goes for fitness. If you dread what you’re doing, you’re less likely to do it. That’s why it’s important when starting a new fitness journey to try and find exercises that excite you and make you want to work out. If you don’t like running on a treadmill, try a fitness class instead. If you’d like to explore your community while you exercise, try bike riding. If you prefer weights and machines, find a workout buddy who will get you motivated and keep you accountable. Whatever you do, find a way to make it and keep it fun.
5. Track your progress
Progress is never a straight line, especially when it comes to fitness. There are valleys, plateaus, and peaks along the journey. But consistency in effort will lead you where you want to go. And tracking your progress with a workout journal can help you get past the ups and downs and see your true week-to-week, month-to-month progress over the year. Slow and steady wins the race.
Fitness planning does not guarantee fitness success. But it’s a crucial step in that direction. So be patient, think long-term, stick to your plan, stay focused on your goals, and give yourself the benefit of the doubt throughout your fitness planning and progression. And if you need help getting started, staying on track, or measuring your progress, stop in and talk to the experts at Mount Carmel Fitness Center. They’ll be happy to help you plan and help you succeed – however you measure it.