Setting Goals for the New Year: Fitness Edition

So it's no secret that I take fitness and health very seriously. I play soccer competitively all year round, weight lift regularly, and write fitness plans for my friends and family. I find so much value in keeping my body and mind healthy and love re-evaluating and making new fitness goals. Want some inspiration? Read on to develop your own for the New Year.

1. Get a gym membership and go

So, yes, everyone and their mother is going to the gym right now to get a new membership. This is the time of year when gym's see the biggest influx of new members! And yes, the gym will be packed for the next month, but that will quickly die off as people begin to slump back to their old ways and skip the gym. But not you! You're motivated this year, and this is the time to do it. Not just because it's a new year, but also because gyms usually have big sales on memberships including "zero money down" options, or offer a free month to new members for a limited time. Gyms often offer perks for signing up around New Years, so you should take advantage!

2. Walk more

If you live in the Northeast like me (or really anywhere that gets cold this time of year), it can get tricky to motivate yourself to go walking. You have a couple options for this. If you work in a large building, maybe schedule in some walking breaks, and literally just walk all over the building. It doesn't need to look like fitness for it to be healthy. Another option is to suck it up and walk outside. I know this time of year gets dark early, and often we walk up when it's still dark too, but if you can manage it, try to get outside and walk for 20 minutes in the middle of the day. If you're a teacher on recess duty, instead of standing around monitoring, walk the perimeter of the playground. Better yet, get involved in the game your kiddos are playing! Another option is to pair this goal with the above goal. Walk at the gym (or walk to the gym if you can swing it). Incorporate 20-30 minutes of walking (or jogging) while at the gym. Maybe this is your whole workout, or maybe it's how you cool down after a weight-lifting session. Up to you, but make it happen.

3. Lift 2 times per week (at least)

Speaking of weight lifting, this one is tough for some people to get into, especially women. Women tend to be afraid of weights, thinking it's for men, it will make them bulky, or they are just intimidated by the weight room. I've been there. When I first started, I was so nervous that people would be looking at me and making fun of my form, or the pounds I was lifting. Once I started seeing myself get stronger (not just in the mirror, but my ability to lift heavier and increase my stamina), my anxiety fell by the wayside. I started to look forward to my weight lifting days, and devoted most of my training to weights! I feel strong, powerful, and like a superhero. It's important that you research which exercises to do based on your goals. A great place to start is Bodybuilding.com, which has lots of beginner plans and advice. My best advice is to just get started!

4. Do 30 or 3

This refers to doing 30 minutes of cardio, or 3 miles. Sometimes this will be the same, say if you jog at a 10 minute mile, after 30 minutes, you'll have completed 3 miles. If you're walking, you'll be less than 3 miles once you've reached 30 minutes. There's no hard and fast rule to this, it's just a guide to help you hold yourself accountable with a manageable goal. Who doesn't have 30 minutes in their day (don't you dare raise your hand). If you need to, break this up. This is easy to pair with your walking goal, or your gym goal. This can be done and it's an easy way to set a goal for yourself each day. Also, an easy mantra to remember!

5. Stretch every day

I love stretching. It feels so great after a hard workout. It also feels great when you wake up from a deep sleep. Stretching is great for you body. It keeps muscles strong and healthy. It increases flexibility, and without it, muscles can become tight and weak. Healthy muscles also help with balance and range of motion. Also, it feels great and is a great reason to just relax.

Want more fitness inspiration? Check out my guide on fitting in fitness!

ABA at Play: tangibly-maintained behaviors, attention-maintained behaviors, escape-maintained behaviors, automatically-maintained behaviors, antecedent manipulations, environmental accommodations, prompting, prioritizing behaviors, reinforcement, social skills, social validity, behavior repertoire, socially-significant behavior, data analysis, motivating operations manipulation, topography-based interventions

What are your fitness goals for New Years? Leave a comment below!