If you’re looking to shape up in 2016, you’re in good company. “Losing weight” is the top resolution for the New Near, followed closely by getting healthy, eating better, and exercising more. Now the bad news: If 2015 is any indication for how most people’s resolutions went, you have a 50% chance of yours lasting through the end of February. But you can increase your odds of success by following these simple tips for maintaining your motivation.
1. ESTABLISH REALISTIC GOALS
Don’t aim to run a marathon if you’ve never finished a 5K. People often set their expectations too high, especially at the start of the year. When they set unrealistic goals and don’t reach them, they get frustrated—and that’s when you start to see people fall off the wagon. You’re move: Think smaller. If you want to commit to working out five days a week, start with three days a week for the first month. You can always make your goal harder if you’re crushing it.
Just as important as setting attainable goals is choosing them for the right reasons. Sit down and think about WHY you want to start working out. People who exercise most are those with internally driven motivations, such as valuing the benefits of exercise (more energy, better overall health, and greater strength, power, and stamina), as opposed to external motivations, such as vanity or pressure from friends.
2. MAKE EXERCISE CONVENIENT
Whether it’s finding time to sweat or shelling out money for new equipment, exercising can be a hassle, and even minor obstacles can be damaging in the early stages of habit forming. On the other hand, simple actions that reinforce your commitment and make exercising easier can be hugely motivating. Keep your workout DVD in your computer or player, keep your gym clothes by the door, and figure out what equipment you actually need. Many of the best workout programs require no equipment at all.
3. BECOME A MORNING PERSON
Before work is the only time you know for sure you’ll be free, so for many people, that’s the best time to work out. People who aim to exercise before work do so 58% more often than those that don’t. Starting your day with an intense sweat session may also improve your quality of sleep, so it’s a win-win proposition.
4. MAKE EXERCISE MORE SOCIAL
Working out with a buddy not only boosts motivation (thanks in no small part to the power of accountability), but it can also help you push yourself harder and up to 24% longer. But don’t stop there—join a social network such as Fitocracy, Extra Pounds, Traineo, or Daily Mile to share your progress. In a recent paper published in Preventive Medicine Reports, people who did so worked out nearly two more days per week than those who did not. Social media can even help if you fall off the wagon. Instead of fearing the judgment of others, try tweeting something like: I tried to work out, but I didn’t make it today, any suggestions? Reaching out to likeminded people in your social network can be very productive.
5. OVERHAUL YOUR DIET THE RIGHT WAY
Small dietary tweaks—like ordering a burger with salad instead of fries—often lead to better long-term results than sweeping changes, like eliminating burgers entirely. If you always forgo your favorite foods for those that seem healthier, you may end up disappointed, which can sabotage your success. Here’s a powerful swap you can institute right now: Replace one high calorie drink a day with a calorie-free choice like water. That alone can help you drop 2.5 percent of your bodyweight in just 6 months. Eating more fruit also helps.
6. TEMPT YOURSELF TO SWEAT
People who pair activities they know they should do but avoid (like exercising) with activities they enjoy but aren’t productive (like listening to audiobooks) work out significantly more often than those that don’t. The technique is called “temptation bundling,” and it can have a powerful effect on willpower. The key is to pick the right “temptation.”
7. FIND THE FUN IN FITNESS
What do you think of when you think of the word “exercise”? It doesn’t have to mean grueling workouts. A few ideas: If you run, consider high-intensity intervals rather than running at a consistent pace. Research from the UK suggests that intense intervals are more enjoyable. If you prefer working out at home, try new dance workout, CIZE. You might also be able to make exercise seem more fun simply by grabbing a cup of Joe. In a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, people who consumed caffeine before a workout perceived it as more enjoyable, perhaps because caffeine impacts brain chemicals like dopamine.
8. REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES
Simply recalling a positive memory about exercise—tackling a particularly tough workout or achieving a new PR in a 5K, for example—can inspire you lace up and start sweating. Paying attention to how great you feel right after a workout can be just as powerful. And there’s no better time to focus on the present than immediately after a good sweat session, as vigorous workouts increase circulating levels of several feel-good brain chemicals. In both cases, you’ll benefit from the power of positive reinforcement.
