EXPERT REVEALS 5 WAYS TO STICK TO YOUR NEW YEAR FITNESS GOALS
Is fitness your goal for 2024? Melbourne fitness expert Nikki Ellis emphasises the importance of prioritising progress over perfection, encouraging people to celebrate the small victories along their health journey. Here are her top 5 tips to help you stick to New Year fitness goals.
1.Start small: Don’t aim for a complete life overhaul. Start with one aspect of your lifestyle - for example, your physical activity, Establish some good habits in that area of your life then move on to another aspect.
2. Write down your resolutions. Look for ways to keep your goals front and centre such as Pinterest vision boards, follow people on insta who are leading the sort of healthy, balanced lifestyle you want, listen to podcasts that inspire and educate you. Let’s call this visiting your spiritual gym.
3. Prepare to fail. In other words, accept that you will slip up, stuff up, sleep in, get sick and basically you will not always nail your goals, simply because you are a human. Have contingencies in place for when things go wrong eg “On the mornings I miss training I will go to the 6.30pm session in the studio instead.” We want to avoid giving up entirely when things go awry. They WILL go awry! So prepare for it, and have strategies to help you stay on track.
4. Celebrate small victories. Maybe you have a new goal to weight train regularly. Reward yourself for your regular attendances. First five sessions maybe buy yourself a new pair of socks, 10 sessions - a facial, 15 sessions - book in for a one on one PT sessions. Before you start thinking that this gym business is going to get VERY expensive - these rewards are not forever. Once your habits are set your results combined with the enjoyment you get from both the training and the community at your gym will be reward enough in itself - but starting off some rewards will help you stay on track.
5. Really think about your WHY. If your goal is to increase your fitness - why do you want to do that? What difference will it make in your life? What will it feel like for you? What will it allow you to do? Dig deeper and find the why that truly moves you to action and maybe moves you to tears.
