As you work on your fitness resolutions in the New Year, what will keep you motivated to reach your goals?

Question

It can be difficult to stay focused on reaching your New Year’s resolutions fitness goals, which is why it’s important now to think about what steps you can take to stay motivated when the going gets tough. My blog has lots of advice for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and staying motivated (http://health.yahoo.com/experts/rockertraining/ ). Joining a support group (like this one on Yahoo! Groups: http://new.groups.yahoo.com/specialkgroup ) is another great motivation tool. Motivation ultimately has to be personal, though. What works best for you?

Answer 1

What motivates a person is unique to each individual. Here is a program that will work:

1) Be specific regarding the goal such as:
--improve cardio-vascular fitness
--increase body tone
--lose xxx pounds
--make your goal measurable

2) Be realistic:
Don't set yourself up to fail by setting an unhealthy and/or unrealistic goal such as "lose 30 pounds this month".

3) Create and follow-through on do-able action steps each week that move you toward your goal.

4) Give yourself rewards that you like:
a manicure, a movie, a trip to the golf course???

5) Create accountability:
tell someone you TRUST about your goals. Ask him or her to provide the specific type of support you'd like. Maybe a check-in weekly? If you don't trust your friends or family to provide this, a Wellness Coach can help.

6) Keep your eyes on the prize -- visualize how you want to be. Keep reminders around you -- someplace where you will see them. On the fridge, or on your car dash board.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Usually people pick a resolution, stick with it for a few weeks, get frustrated and quit. There are some things you can do to increase your chances of success. Write your goal down and keep it specific. A goal like lose weight or get into shape is nice but both are broad. Instead try lose 10 pounds or go to the gym 3x per week. You can also fill out a New Year Resolution Contract which is an agreement with yourself. Find a friend that has the same goal as you, it's sometimes easier to quit on yourself than it is to let a friend down. Most importantly, you need to have the right attitude. Changing something about yourself is hard work. It won't always be easy but in the end it will be worth it. Don't let a small bump in the road derail your resolution.

Answer 3

I have allowed my job and recent lifestyle to wreak havoc on my health and weight, and have decided that if I want to experience future Christmas's I will need to make some changes. First, and most importantly is excercise. I know a guy who lost 200 lbs. - you read correctly - TWO hundred pounds by simply walking and reducing caloric intake. I don't eat alot, I just don't get any excercise. That will change now, so that by the time summer rolls around, I will not only be able to get into my cute summer clothes, but will actually have the energy to go and do something other than just sitting on the sidelines watching! Will start off slowly and work my way up to not getting winded just walking a mile. Wish me luck - I really don't want to be a young corpse! THAT'S my motivaiton!!! My Triglycerides were 717 and Cholesterol couldn't be calculated. I have been very strictly eating the right stuff. which is hard for me I want some chips or potato's (fried) I'm southern and we love our fried potato's and corn bread. I have to say I have been really good and trying to eat a good balance of the good foods and leaving the bad foods out. The reason is I don't want to have a heart attack or stroke. When I went to the Dr I weighed 150 1/2 and am 5'5 1/2". that was 6 weeks ago today I weigh 141. I hope I am going in the right direction, I had blood tested again yesterday so should find out soon what the results were. Wish me luck.

Answer 4

I try to motivate myself-but a lot of times it's hard! Sometimes you just don't have the energy to get up at 9 AM, and go take a yoga class- or work out. I have to go to the gym before work- because my kids are home after I get home from work. It's also hard with three kids- I mean with school and work, and I'm trying to go back to school, and my hubby is never home- I can never find enough time to go to the gym. So, this year I have hired a nanny for the kids- so I have more time in the day to do the things I need to get done.
I know that I should be doing something for personal fitness but I don't. I eat too much junk food, smoke too much and I used to drink a lot as well. My waist used to be a 36, now I am at a 38. So this year, I plan to see my doctor and start doing something regarding my smoking. I think 35 years of smoking is far too long and it is time for me to quit this expensive and nasty habit. Then after a while, I will seek out a better diet for myself and learn some new behaviors regarding fitness. I will turn 54 this year. No serious health problems yet.

Answer 5

I have a support group online that I've been involved with for two years, they are a small core group and we KNOW each other if only online so it is easier to sooth someone needing soothing, kick butt for those needing that and to crow when things are going well. We do weekly weigh ins and every six weeks to measurements.

I belong to Sparkpeople.com and when things are tough I go back to logging food and exercise to keep a real view on what I'm doing. I also like the little rewards you get from the site for being successful.

I joined a fitness facility a couple years ago (my weight loss journey is three years and 40 lbs long) and that was a great support. I started attending some of the off beat classes like deep water aerobics (CHALLENGING!) and cardio strip class. Now I'm a regular and I find that really helps to motivate. I know I'll be missed if I don't show up. Ditto for skating. I skate four times a week and if I don't make it to a skate the supervisor misses me.

So I didn't gain any weight over Christmas this year, a first for me. And I'm looking to lose the last ten pounds this coming year and to step up my fitness level a couple notches. Here's to motivating all those people who have fitness as a goal...

Answer 6

Hopefully this New Year will be different for a lot of people. Usually people pick a resolution, stick with it for a few weeks, get frustrated and quit. There are some things you can do to increase your chances of success. Write your goal down and keep it specific. A goal like lose weight or get into shape is nice but both are broad. Instead try lose 10 pounds or go to the gym 3x per week. You can also fill out a New Year Resolution Contract which is an agreement with yourself. Find a friend that has the same goal as you, it's sometimes easier to quit on yourself than it is to let a friend down. Most importantly, you need to have the right attitude. Changing something about yourself is hard work. It won't always be easy but in the end it will be worth it. Don't let a small bump in the road derail your resolution.

New Year's Resolution Guide - http://www.straighthealth.com/pages/guides/newyears.html

Answer 7

I started out on a weight loss regimen-no, make that a lifestyle change-like many of you. I did not have the finances or time to go to a gym or to pay for a specialized meal plan. I lost 106 pounds by walking on my old treadmill everyday. Some days I would walk 3 miles, some 4, some 5. It just depended on how much time I had. I also make sure I walk first thing in the morning-as soon as I get up-so that I don't have to take time away from my 2 children. I cut back on what I ate. Portion control was my biggest problem. And I made sure I made healthy choices when I chose the food I ate. I still have those "naughty" treats. If I want a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard, that is my supper and I get back to the lifestyle change the next day. I also made sure I drank more water and on;y diet, clear pop if I had to have a pop. Good luck!! You can do it!! I want to stay in my "skinny" clothes.

Answer 8

I did not have the finances or time to go to a gym or to pay for a specialized meal plan. I lost 106 pounds by walking on my old treadmill everyday. Some days I would walk 3 miles, some 4, some 5. It just depended on how much time I had. I also make sure I walk first thing in the morning-as soon as I get up-so that I don't have to take time away from my 2 children. I cut back on what I ate. Portion control was my biggest problem. And I made sure I made healthy choices when I chose the food I ate. I still have those "naughty" treats. If I want a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard, that is my supper and I get back to the lifestyle change the next day. I also made sure I drank more water and on;y diet, clear pop if I had to have a pop. Good luck!! You can do it!! I want to stay in my "skinny" clothes.

Answer 9

It can be done!! Four years ago, I started out on a weight loss regimen-no, make that a lifestyle change-like many of you. I did not have the finances or time to go to a gym or to pay for a specialized meal plan. I lost 106 pounds by walking on my old treadmill everyday. Some days I would walk 3 miles, some 4, some 5. It just depended on how much time I had. I also make sure I walk first thing in the morning-as soon as I get up-so that I don't have to take time away from my 2 children. I cut back on what I ate. Portion control was my biggest problem. And I made sure I made healthy choices when I chose the food I ate. I still have those "naughty" treats. If I want a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard, that is my supper and I get back to the lifestyle change the next day. I also made sure I drank more water and on;y diet, clear pop if I had to have a pop. Good luck!! You can do it!! I want to stay in my "skinny" clothes.

Answer 10

I stood almost 6' and weighed 175 lbs. I was in an automobile accident that caused me to lose over 120lbs in 40 days. That's right, I weighed about 50 lbs. when I went home Over the next 4 years my weight shot up to 268 lbs. One day when I finally decided I'd had enough, I made a decision and took some action. A couple of years later, I was down to 195. I started eating 1 meal a day and playing basketball everyday. I stand about 5'10" now and weigh 230. Don't think I'm obese though, because a lot of that is muscle mass, and I look pretty darn good. My motivation is this: I completely hated myself when I got that fat and sloppy and I do everything in my power to keep it from happening again. Whatever it takes !

Answer 11

My Triglycerides were 717 and Cholesterol couldn't be calculated. I have been very strictly eating the right stuff. which is hard for me I want some chips or potato's (fried) I'm southern and we love our fried potato's and corn bread. I have to say I have been really good and trying to eat a good balance of the good foods and leaving the bad foods out. The reason is I don't want to have a heart attack or stroke. When I went to the Dr I weighed 150 1/2 and am 5'5 1/2". that was 6 weeks ago today I weigh 141. I hope I am going in the right direction, I had blood tested again yesterday so should find out soon what the results were. Wish me luck.