Making Resolutions Last

The New Year is a great time for reflection.

Reflecting on last year and looking forward to the year ahead can lead to setting new goals.

Some of us call these goals resolutions, while others may be against using that term.

While I understand that those opposed to resolutions don't like the idea of waiting for the calendar to turn to get started, I believe that anytime you can set some new goals and form new habits to try and improve some area of your life it's a good thing.

The trick is making sure your resolutions don’t fade out by February.

We say it all the time at Core; sustainability is the key to success.

I assume when we set goals or make resolutions at New Year's, we aren't simply hoping to make a short-term or temporary change. We are thinking long-term and usually looking to make a lasting change.

Health and fitness is a common focus with New Year's resolutions. While I don't have any statistics to support this, these resolutions have a reputation for not lasting all year. It's why many gyms are so crowded in January and by March or April it's back to being close to the same crowd as December of the previous year.

But why are these goals so tough to sustain?

In my experience, it's usually because of unrealistic expectations and misguided ideas about what it takes to become "fit", whatever that means to you.

A big one is the belief that you need to work out every single day to see results. That couldn’t be further from the truth. For most people, two to three trips to the gym per week is plenty to make real progress. Combine that with some light cardio or consistent movement outside the gym, and you’ve got a simple recipe for success.

Another misconception is that workouts need to be long. They don’t. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym to get results. Most workouts can be done in an hour or less.

And just as important, you should actually enjoy what you’re doing.

Not every workout is fun. You won’t love every exercise. That’s normal. But going to the gym shouldn’t feel like punishment. If you dread every session, it’s going to be nearly impossible to stay consistent. Find a gym, a program, or a training style that you can realistically see yourself doing long term.

Lastly, you don't need to be dripping sweat, out of breath, and downright exhausted to have a good workout. I'd go so far as to say workouts that leave you feeling that way should be more rare than common.

Your body doesn’t change during the workout. It changes during recovery. If you push yourself to exhaustion every session and you’re constantly sore, you’re not maximizing results. You’re just stacking stress without enough recovery to actually adapt.

This is the time of year we’ll remind you to set goals as a stepping stone.

When you set a goal for the rest of the year, ask yourself this simple question: Could I see myself still doing this in a year?

If the answer is yes, it’s probably sustainable. And sustainable goals are the ones that actually work.

So capitalize on the wave of motivation that comes with the New Year. Use it to establish healthy habits you can stick with.

Build consistency. Keep it realistic. Keep it simple.

Because the goal isn’t to crush January. The goal is to still be showing up in July.

And we’ll be here to help you do exactly that.