Why Do New Years Eve Fitness Resolutions Often Fail?

After being in and around the fitness industry for the last 15 years I have noticed something that happens every year around March and on into Spring time. Fitness goals that were set back in December and January are now dwindling and holidays like St. Patty’s Day are almost being designed to derail you from accomplishing your fitness and health goals for the new year. Unfortunately for the masses these exciting resolutions seem to lose their steam as major drop off occurs at 5 weeks, 12 weeks, and the rest by 6 months. This pattern seems to replicate itself year, after year, after year… So why do people often start with great intentions, but then fall short when it comes down to sticking with their fitness goals? According to experts, it comes down to a few psychological and logistical challenges inherent to human nature – challenges that can be effectively overcome if properly understood and managed. Remember that anyone can workout on a good day but it takes real discipline to push through those bad days and don’t make excuses but get yourself up and train. Olympic Bronze Medalist an World Champion 3000 meter steeplechase athlete Emma Coburn states: “We all have different mind games we play with ourselves. But really, it’s just about practicing discomfort and going for it. Even though I’m more used to the feeling now, every time I line up in a race, I feel like I’m starting from scratch again in my head. It’s never easy, it always hurts, and it’s always a mental battle. … But it’s so worth it.”

Here are a few things to consider while trying to help keep new clients in the gym after the initial excitement of New Year’s resolutions begins to fizzle:

Realistic goals need to be set in place

• Many people make vague resolutions like “I plan to get in better shape and lose weight”. However, having a specific realistic goal appears to help the process more efficiently. Essentially, vague aspirations don’t work for the average person because they fail to embrace new behaviors – they are just abstract thoughts. The brain cannot focus on abstract goals not tied to specific behaviors; and therefore the efforts necessary to reach the goal cannot become “instinctual”, which is critical for long-term goal attainment.
• This tangible plan should be made ahead of time to ensure that all variables are properly accounted for (e.g., time management for tackling the new goal). Thinking ahead of time also allows the individual to fully reflect upon what they want to achieve.
• The key is to focus on one specific goal or habit at a time, in a step-by-step format.
• Examples:
  • Resolution – “I will eat healthier food” vs. Habit – “I will eat more fruits and vegetables each time I have a craving for my soda and or fast food”
  • Resolution – “I will get in better shape” vs. Habit – “I will sign up for Roworx Fitness classes in Long Beach and get a low impact – total body workout”
  • Resolution – NO EXCUSES! Make time for your workouts, get to the gym, and get going. Think less and do more!

Setting Unrealistic Goals Creates Major Psychological Hurdles And Causes You To Fail Much More Often

• Some psychologists have described New Year’s resolutions as a form of “cultural procrastination” where the person is trying to reinvent themselves. In reality there is no one set or perfect time to make this decision. New Years Resolution’s are just more convenient because there is nothing going on for the 4 weeks to follow until Super Bowl Sunday. It is important to know that everyday and every time of year is just as important for fitness and nutrition. Setting a New Years Resolution in the most convenient time of year may actually have a more negative effect and often leads to the development of excessively lofty and unrealistic goals and expectations. In conclusion, this has a big part to play in the high failure rates among those that make resolutions and one must take steps to create more willpower to move throughout the year with a good plan and solid workouts.
• Psychologists have also identified what they call the “false hope syndrome,” which essentially denotes a resolution developed by a person was significantly unrealistic and out of alignment with their internal view of themselves. Resolutions must embrace the client’s personality and capabilities.
• Interestingly, research has shown differences between genders as it relates to resolution success:
  • Men seem to more effectively achieve their fitness goals when they engage in specific, tangible goal-setting that that is measureable and achievable.
  • Women seem to more effectively achieve their fitness goals when they share them with the others (think social media sites and group fitness scenarios) and have accountability from friends.

• Simply put… the more hours you spend at anything in life you will usually get better at it and the same holds true for accomplishing your fitness and nutritional goals. Long term goals must be used in a process of reverse engineering to identify attainability. Make sure to keep track of your workouts by logging your training hours into some kind of journal or app that can make you accountable. The more hours you can record during the week… the better off you are going to be in accomplishing your fitness goals.
• Example 20 pounds of weight loss – 70,000 calories expended, physical fitness capacity of 250 kcal per workout 4x per week. Without significant dietary change this goal will take up to 70 months to attain assuming the client works out 4x a week for the intended caloric expenditure.
• Focus on one thing at a time and make sure to take it one day at a time. Make it a mission to drink more water one week.. sleep better the next week.. stop eating fast food and soda the next week and so on making it a challenge for yourself to set small weekly goals so that the main goal can be achieved. If accomplished every day – the weekly goal is attained. Don’t procrastinate and stay ahead of your training hours per week. If you procrastinate it only causes more anxiety, stress, and animosity towards training which is not the way you want to look at exercise.
• Exercise needs to be looked at as a lifestyle and NOT a luxury.

Seek Out The Best Fitness And Nutritional Information With A Coach That Has The Credentials And Experience That Are Needed For Success

• Do research and hire a fitness/wellness coach to help keep you accountable while you attain these goals. The do it yourself attitude rarely works and is not realistic when it comes to learning how to train and eat effectively. Everyone needs a coach just like the workplace needs training and learning new computer programs. No one goes to work automatically knowing specific computer programs etc. When taking on any goal the first step should be obtaining the necessary tools for success. As it relates to fitness goals, this is where the personal trainer comes in as a critical piece of the puzzle. Most people taking on their New Year’s fitness resolutions need the guidance, motivation and expertise of a qualified personal trainer to reach their long-term goals.
• A good deal of research shows that it is very important to have some sort of accountability, such as someone close to the individual whom they have to regularly report to who will quantify progress and provide feedback.

Surround Yourself Around Positive Influencers And Create A Solid Support System For Your Training And Nutritional Needs

• Workout with a friend and a specific program and or fitness center like Roworx Indoor Rowing. People function best when they have social accountability and feel that their actions are positive and attainable
• Join a fitness center that is convenient and will give you the most efficient fat burning, total body, and low impact workout like Roworx Fitness in Long Beach. Having a letter of commitment or a person for which one is accountable to can be useful for promoting true behavioral changes.
• Choose wisely when selecting your friends and colleagues during this exciting yet challenging adventure while getting back in the best shape of your life. You made need to have a discussion with your family members as well and let them know you need support during this journey as it will take time and patience while you spend more time on your workouts. Not everyone will be thrilled that you will be spending time with your fitness rather than themselves and Identifying these enablers and disablers is important when attempting to avoid obstacles to positive behavior traits.

The Focus Must Be On Making A Positive Behavioral Change In Fitness And Nutritional Habits

• As mentioned earlier, making a resolution work requires changing one’s behaviors; and in order to do that the brain must perceive the tasks associated with the goal as second-nature. Scientists who study brain function as well as psychotherapists have found that any habitual behavior, such as regular exercise, is created by embracing thinking patterns that create associated neural pathways and memories. Essentially, the new resolution has to be a part of one’s everyday thinking processes.
• Focus on overall behavioral change. Many clients will only have 3-5 hours per week to work with a personal trainer – this potentially leaves about 160 hours for the client to potentially “mess everything up that was gained in the gym” if other synergistic daily behaviors, such as healthy food intake and stress management, are not part of the client’s regular thoughts. A behavior modification plan must be holistic in nature.

Much like any plan for goal attainment the activities must be comprehensive in nature. Addressing only a single aspect will dramatically reduce the likelihood of success. When all of the pieces of the puzzle come together the outcome is complete and predictable. Identifying the negatives that create obstacles and barriers is just as important as identifying the positive actions. A balanced effort to reduce negatives and add positives should be a big part of the goal.