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Every January, many would-be fitness enthusiasts, fresh from a holiday of overindulgence, make bold plans for the coming year.
They buy new sneakers.
They sign up for gym memberships.
They go grocery shopping for veggies.
And yet, by February or March, many have fallen off!
Well intentioned plans get sidelined by professional and personal demands when life gets complicated.
For example, the unrelenting metaphorical punches of the year 2020!
Then, the new exercise gear begins to collect dust.
The arugula and bok choy wilt.
And folx stop logging into whatever apps they were so excited about in the first week of January.
How do you ACTUALLY stick to your New Year’s resolutions this year?
I’m not the coach for everyone. If I’ve learned anything having worked with thousands of humans over my coaching career, it’s that everyone is different.
What works fabulously for a while may inexplicably stop working. And the strategy that once yielded results in one “season” of life may not jive with your lifestyle a few years down the road.
Here are a few approaches I’ve seen to work for most people most of the time.
1. Get Clear on WHY Fitness Matters To You
How will it impact your life to feel incredible all day long?
How will it affect your professional life if your thinking is clearer and you’re bursting with energy throughout your day?
How would an improved mood affect your loved ones and your enjoyment of life?
How might better sleep and increased stress resilience keep you healthy?
How would your self-confidence change if followed through on your personal commitments to your own self-care?
And related… how does adopting better fitness habits express your most important personal values?
2. Find Social Support
I know, I’m a broken record on this one. It’s just I’ve seen it work consistently for 15 years AND it’s a very consistent finding in the social science literature on behaviour change.
You are not an island, my friend.
We are all massively influenced by those around us. So if you’re looking to create change, you want a social environment that will positively influence you.
Be mindful of relationships that won’t support your vision of a healthier life. Find and create social connections with individuals who share your values around self-care.
Looking for a positive place to workout with like-minded unicorns?
Well, now you can join the awesome community of ILT from anywhere in the world! Deets here.
3. Invest In Your Fitness
Yup. I think you should spend money on your fitness, if you are able.
Now you may (correctly) say I’m incentivized to say this. After all, this is how I feed my fur baby, Ellen Ripley. But it’s still true. People rarely value things when there’s no “skin in the game”.
If you want to improve your odds of sticking to your resolutions, make a real commitment to it. Based on your personal situation, the exact investment is going to vary. And I’m not saying you should go broke or rack up credit card fees. But if it’s a meaningful investment (to you), you’re way more likely to stick to it.
This is also why paid-in-advance appointment-based training like ILT’s Semi-Private Training option creates more accountability than on-demand training options.
Show me how you spend your time and your money and I’ll show you what you actually value.
4. Try A Slow and Steady Approach
Admittedly, there are people in the world who can hit a wall and make lasting dramatic change in one fell swoop. But this is usually correlated with some life-defining event like a move, a change in relationship status, or a health scare.
For most people, slower and steadier will win the race. This is all the more important if you know you have “all-or-nothing” tendencies. Rather than trying to be perfect for three weeks, then totally off the rails for three months, how about starting with two servings of greens each day and two-rock-solid-consistent-no-
Look for consistent 1% improvements over time by slowly layering in better habits.
5. Embrace Never Ending Change
I have bad news. And I have good news.
The bad news is you’ll never get this “done.” Your approach to fitness can and should evolve over time. Your life will change, your professional and personal demands will change, and YOU will change. So even if you find the “Absolutely Perfect Strategy”, it probably won’t be perfect for the next 50 years.
But the good news is so long as you keep going, you can’t get it “wrong.” Sure, there will be periods and seasons when you are more or less dialled in. But you only fail if you throw in the towel.
I know, easier said than done.
Particularly when you feel like you’ve lost all momentum, and you know, “PANDEMIC”.
But the more joy and faith you can find in the journey, the more success — and fun — you’ll have!
On Monday, January 18th, we’re opening Precision Nutrition Coaching to a small group of men and women who want to look and feel their best. With PN Coaching, we help you get in the best shape of your life (and stay that way for good) by personal coaching which will help you:
* Eat better, without dieting or feeling deprived.
* Get active, no matter what shape you’re in now.
* Build fitness into your life, without taking it over.
* Achieve, and maintain, your goals, even when life gets busy.
The result?
You’ll:
- Lose the fat you haven’t been able to shed for years.
- Build physical strength and body confidence.
- Gain mental confidence — no longer hiding your gifts and talents.
- Improve your relationship with food — learn what to do, how to do it.
With Precision Nutrition Coaching, Iron Lion Training can help you change your body (and life!) forever.
Get started here!
We have broadened our reach, and are now offering this system online.
Why is that important to know?
We can train you anywhere in the world, remotely.
Cool right?!
Sign up, trust the process, and keep showing up.
All you have to do is make the decision to start!
We’ll take care of the rest.
Where do you want to be one year from now?
We’ll help you get there!
Steph’IronLioness’Dykstra Co-Owner, Creative Director, Coach
