Get Your Fit Toolkit with 4 Tips to Reach Your Fitness Goals

Here we are again. For the last couple of weeks you could have easily walked into any fitness center and found plenty of available machines and equipment to use, but now, one day into 2015, with many people having resolved to get fit or lose weight, the gyms are probably packed. A 2013 survey found that the number one New Year’s resolution was to lose weight. Unfortunately, only 8% of us will actually keep these resolutions. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to be part of that fit and fly 8%.

With that in mind, here are some tips and tools to help you reach your fitness goals:

1. Change Takes Time. You didn’t gain weight or get out of shape overnight so expecting to make major changes in a short time is a set up for failure. It’s not enough to set the goal; you’ve got to identify the small steps that you’ll take to get to the goal.  Setting smaller benchmarks give you more attainable ‘mini -goals’ to work toward that will eventually get you to the big one. Don’t forget to celebrate your successes along the way. Even a pound lost is a win.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao-tzu

2. Make it a Habit. It may take a little longer than just 21 days to make your workout, meal planning or new food choices seem like second nature, but it can be done. Again, your bad habits weren’t built in a day and the good ones won’t be either. Give yourself at least a month to start seeing results that you can be proud of.

3. There’s Success in Numbers. Ask a friend or family member to be your accountability partner. I cannot tell you how valuable it is to have someone other than your self to be accountable to. Getting up early and heading to the gym alone might be easy to skip, but you’re much less likely to leave someone else hanging. Team up with someone you trust and rock this thing out together!

4. Know Your Why. Before you set your goals, sit down and think of the reason why you want to reach them. Getting healthier to be able to run around with your kids, holds more weight (no pun intended), than losing weight simply to look good.

Now that we’ve taken care of all that, here are some fitness tools to help you stick to your goal. Good luck!

Samsung Gear Fit Fitness Tracker, $159