How to Stick to Your New Year’s Fitness Goals in Just 4 Steps

Create a plan to accomplish the goals you set out for in 2022

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So it’s been a week and you haven’t started that fitness goal of yours… so now what?

You can do what most people do, which is find every excuse available and give up. But that’s not you. You still want those goals, you just need a little guidance. I’m here to help.

This article will give you the organizational tools necessary to help create a plan of action so that you can get closer to accomplishing your fitness goals in 2022.

Step 1 – Write Your Goals Down… on PAPER!

It’s easy to think up goals in our thoughts, or in casual conversation when talking about new years resolutions. It takes another level of effort and commitment to actually write them down with a pen and paper.

For us older folks, it’s funny to think that by picking up a pen and paper it shows you are more committed. But it’s true. We live in a world of posting 30 second TikTok videos as a way of communicating, or sending a SnapChat picture that immediately disappears after you see it.

Since we live in a world of short highlight reels, actually writing something down on a piece of paper shows a stronger level of commitment. Who are you showing this commitment to? Yourself!

By taking the extra step of thinking about and writing down your goals, you are proving to yourself that you are serious and committed to doing whatever it takes to accomplish them. Writing down your goals is one of the most effective ways to hold yourself accountable (more on that later).

When setting your goals, you need to be as specific as possible. When in doubt, stick with 1 or 2 very simple, measurable goals. Steer clear of anything vague and non-measurable.

An example of a simple, measurable goal is “I will lose 10 pounds in 6 months.” This is clear, straight forward, and measurable. You can now create a plan and organize your life to set yourself up to succeed with this goal.

An example of a vague, non-measurable goal is “I will lose some weight.” What does that mean? How much weight is “some”? How much do you want to lose? When do you want to lose it by? Being vague allows room for you to slip up on accomplishing your goal, which is a recipe for failure.

By clarifying these goals, you are more likely to create an action plan that will work!

Step 2 – Create Structure in Your Day

Finding time in your busy schedule to workout can seem impossible, especially those with full time jobs and families. So how are you able to squeeze in your fitness in between dropping the kids off at school, going to work, sports games, and other social groups? That’s exactly where… in between!

You must organize your day on a schedule and thankfully this doesn’t have to be on paper. Take out your phone and write in your notes or calendar everything you have to get done each day.

Block out that time because you know those are necessary things that cannot be sacrificed in the name of exercise. These are things like work, driving kids to school, doctor appointments, grocery shopping, etc.

From there, find the holes in your schedule that are free and unaccounted for. What do you typically do during those times? Chances are it is filled with other non-priority chores like doing dishes, laundry, cooking, or maintaining the house (cleaning, yard work, etc.). Keep these in your schedule, since when those are left unattended it can lead to disaster. If you can afford a house cleaner and/or gardener, get one.

You are now left with parts of the day that you have the ability to do what you want with. Often times, we use this leftover time for TV, scrolling social media, and/or additional family time (romantic or with kids). This is where you have the power to choose!

The additional family time may be a non-negotiable…which is understandable. The other stuff like Netflix, Facebook, or any other non productive activity does nothing to help you get to where you want to be. Let’s face it, it’s a flat out waste time.

Find these holes in your day that are usually filled with zoning out and use it for your fitness instead. Once you know exactly how long in your day you have to dedicate to exercise, you can adjust your plan from there.

Step 3 – Set Goals with Different Deadlines

If you find yourself procrastinating on starting your fitness journey, it may be because you are looking too far ahead and the daunting task is paralyzing you.

Breaking your goals into smaller, more manageable ones makes them much less daunting. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds, it’s easy to fixate on that big number, so when you do lose 1-2 pounds it doesn’t seem like all that much. Seeing the small progress can actually be discouraging next to the bigger goal.

This is exactly why having measurable goals at different stages of your journey is so valuable. Instead of always thinking about the big picture, you can narrow your focus to the next small marker.

I always ask my clients to think of their goals in increments of short, medium, and long term goals in the form of 6, 12, and 18 months.

6 Month Goal – A short term goal that is realistic to achieve. Something you KNOW you can achieve. Not that it will be easy, but it is so well within reach that you are confident you can get there.

12 Month Goal – A moderate term goal that is aggressive, yet realistic. Something you THINK you can attain, and may have some doubts about. But, if you make the right sacrifices, you KNOW you can accomplish them.

18 Month Goal – A long term goal that is outside of your comfort zone. This goal is a place you’ve never been before, and will require you to make sacrifices unlike ever before. These are not unrealistic goals, just very aggressive and you will need to put in the work.

Step 4 – Set Up Accountability Systems

Tell people about your goal! Peer pressure is a powerful tool when it comes to holding yourself accountable.

This can be a friend, co-worker, romantic partner, parent, child, or even social media. Tell the people in your circle that you plan on exercising more and be specific when discussing your goals.

You will be amazed at how many people will support you on your fitness journey. Your loved ones will check in every time they see or call you. At the next social function, people will ask about, and hopefully notice, your progress.

Even more so than holding you accountable, by simply knowing that others are aware of your goal it will force you to hold YOURSELF accountable. This is why dedication to your personal fitness is the best thing for your overall well being, because by definition you are committing to a growth minded lifestyle.