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Keeping motivated for New Year’s resolutions

Anyone who’s ever made a New Year’s resolution knows how difficult it can be to stick with it. Whether it’s losing weight, stopping smoking or just drinking more water, keeping up with personal improvement is always a challenge.
Staying inspired
Sticking to New Year’s resolutions can be a challenge, but setting realistic goals, remembering your initial motivation and having a support system can help.

Anyone who’s ever made a New Year’s resolution knows how difficult it can be to stick with it. Whether it’s losing weight, stopping smoking or just drinking more water, keeping up with personal improvement is always a challenge. According to Doug Manuel, assistant general manager at Goodlife Fitness in Airdrie, setting a specific, attainable goal is the best way to ensure you don’t fall off the wagon, this year. “Goal-setting is a tough thing for a lot of people, especially if they don’t have any experience or coaching around it,” he said. “Just coming into the gym saying, ‘I just want to lose weight’ is really tough, because you can’t really track it and you don’t know if you’re making progress.” Having a timeline attached to your goal and determining why it is your resolution in the first place are also important, he added. “For a lot of people, it’s not so much [about] wanting to lose weight, but rather, ‘I want my clothes to fit better, I want my spouse to look at me like they used to before I had kids,’ or stuff like that,” he said. According to Manuel, not seeing results right away is one of the key reasons people start to lose their motivation early on. Change takes time and patience, he said, and people should remember that as they move forward. Not knowing exactly how to accomplish a goal is another common deterrent, he added. “They’re doing something new, so not having the knowledge to actually accomplish it, not having access to different resources or tools to make that job easier,” he said. Instead, Manuel encourages people to stop focusing on the negatives and embrace the challenge. “Don’t feel nervous about doing something different or trying something new, whether it’s health and fitness, quitting smoking, finding a new job or going back to school,” he said. And if you do decide to go for it, according to Manuel, it’s important to have a support system in place – a friend, family member, significant other or someone else who can provide you with encouragement along the way. “Whoever it may be, look for some support, especially if you’re really adamant about achieving those goals,” he said. “Share it with people, because it will hold you accountable.”

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