How To Guarantee You Reach Your Fitness Resolution

A few days ago 1 out of 2 people set out to do something great - something challenging - and something that will possibly change our life forever - all through a New Year's Resolution. A month the top resolutions: eating healthier, starting a fitness plan, and weight loss.

Fitness themed resolutions are by far the most widely pursued new-year goals making making up over half of the proposed new year's resolutions.

All too often these half-hazzard resolutions are nothing more than proposed fitness dreams - hopes of accomplishments - never to see the light of fulfillment.

In a recent study - after just 7 days into the new year - 1/4 of the crowd has already dropped out. After 1 month that jumps to nearly half - still more dropping as the year progresses. In the end only an estimated 2 out of 10 resolution seekers will stick with it to the end. Why is it that fitness resolutions seem to drop like fly onto flypaper? There are several common mistakes to avoid - that will not only help you to keep on track - but nearly guarantee you stick with your fitness resolution until the end!!

A Department of Labor survey asked adults to identify the single biggest issue that prevents them from achieving their new year's resolutions and goals. The top 3 reasons stated were procrastination, lack of discipline, and not having a game plan - not knowing what to do.

Procrastinating

Why do today what I can put off until tomorrow type of attitude, wait shouldn't that be the other way around. New dieters often fail because they never get started. Continuing with the infamous, "I'll start tomorrow". Keep going with that philosophy and you'll find that infamous tomorrow never comes. After all, tomorrow, is never today.

Make a promise to yourself and stick to it. Don't say the Smith's are having a party tomorrow so let's wait until tomorrow. Then it's Saturday so might as well start on Monday. Then Monday comes it's an office party. Tuesday you have a family gathering. Wednesday, oh the week is almost over already so let's just wait until next week. Just get started - NOW.

Lack Of Discipline

Here's a tip - don't do it on your own. Have a positive support system. In a study of beginning exercisers when people were held accountable they were 20 times more likely to stick with their fitness plan 6 months down the road.

A fitness coach or a friend can be a great help encouraging you along your goals and giving you the discipline that you need. Just be sure your support members are not struggling with the same issues and are not willing to commit themselves to such a plan.

No Game Plan

Have a specific action plan. Break it down and make it less intimidating - specific action steps. Start your new fitness plan slowly - remain consistent and build up on it. Make gradual and permanent changes that you can maintain forever.

Are you familiar with the Chinese language? Did you know there are over 2,000 Chinese characters used in writing? What if I was to say you have to learn to write and speak Chinese and I want it done by next week. That's the same as losing 100 pounds by next week.

Take that same scenario and learn one chinese character a day for 6 days, then review them all on the 7th. Repeat this pattern each week until you learn language. While it would certainly take longer you would surely get it done.

In the end only 20% of fitness resolution seekers follow through with their goals. While we can't wave a magic wand and make a resolution come true, there are easy steps to take that will indeed make it easier and give us a much higher chance to fulfill our promises to ourselves.

Get started as soon as possible, have a positive support system, and have a specific plan of attack. These 3 simple strategies will see to it that you will be one who is guaranteed to reach your fitness resolution.