Hello, it’s that time of year again. About 80% of the New Year resolutioners will drop out soon. Is it going to be you? Or is this your year? Let’s discuss some changes you can make to increase your chances of sticking with your resolutions.

Many people set goals that are out of reach and construct exercise programs that are too rigorous. This has two outcomes: 1) they never start because it seems unattainable, or 2) in an attempt to reach their goal, they burn out. A beginner who aims to lose 60 pounds by running four miles daily will not make it a week. But you can overcome these situations by adjusting your goals. To do so, follow these steps.

Get into the Right Mindset

First, do not get discouraged. As a beginner, you must learn to set goals properly. This point might seem intuitive, but I emphasize it because lowering your expectations might have adverse effects. Some will see the lighter exercise routine as a setback and become discouraged, but modifying your goals to an achievable level is already an improvement.

Settle in for the Long Haul

Second, take your time, and the results will come. Pursuing immediate results is the number one reason goals get set too high. For exercise to be effective, it cannot be a temporary hiatus from the status quo but an all-out change in lifestyle. Therefore, choosing manageable ambitions that fit your lifestyle and are preferably enjoyable will provide the best odds for longevity.    

Modify Your Goals

Third, adjust your goals and start slow. Let’s stick with the example from above: you have been running four miles daily for the last few weeks, presumably with a pace of four mph for one hour. You would have completed roughly 84 miles this year if you quit now.

On the other hand, if you revise your goal to walk 0.1 mph for the same amount of time and add 0.1 mph every week for the remainder of the year. By the end of the year, you will build up to jogging at five mph and have accomplished around 900 miles. The second scenario is safer, more achievable, and more effective.

Continue Adjusting

Lastly, continue to adjust your goals. Once you get into the swing of things, you will understand when to go harder or slower. In our example, the speed increases by 0.1 mph weekly but may jump 0.5 mph one week and go down another. Also, you should start higher than 0.1 mph. Does the treadmill go that slow? But as long as you are consistent, you will grow and trend upwards. 

Conclusion

Everyone has the strength and fortitude to get into shape. However, having unrealistic goals and being impatient is a recipe for disaster. Remember, there is no running speed, strength, or weight that, once reached, marks achievement. The achievement lies in doing it daily. Also, there is no endpoint. To truly reap the benefits, it must be a lifelong pursuit. Therefore, setting manageable aspirations is critical.

And I wouldn’t be a proper CrossFitter if I did not mention it. CrossFit will also solve this problem.

Check out the Europe and CrossFit categories to read more articles I wrote. I also wrote an article on my journey through CrossFit; give it a read.