Staying Motivated After January

New Year's Resolutions are great; anything that motivates anyone to start healthy habits can only be a good thing. But, weirdly, it's become an increasingly unpopular opinion online. Lots of fitspo figures like to say that resolutions are BS and the time of year shouldn't matter, but lots of fitspo figures are also contrary for the likes.

If you set a goal to get healthy, lose 10kgs, get strong, do ten pull-ups or run a marathon, I'm here for you. And whether January was a roaring success or a slow start, here's how you can smash the rest of 2022:

1. Don't beat yourself up if you 'failed' your resolutions, and don't let your guard down if you 'won'

Either way, January is just one month. It's a tiny event on the rich tapestry that is your life. One isolated month of excellent training is a good start, but only if it becomes a habit.

Likewise, if January has been a washout and you've not stuck to any of your resolutions, don't panic. 2022 isn't written off just yet – you can still have eleven great months ahead. The person who sleeps through January but has a great rest of the year will go further than the person who comes out fast in January then gives up in February.

2. Don't be 1 or 0‍

You are not a light switch; you are not on or off. If you try to be all good, it's a matter of time before that turns to all bad, and you enter into the never-ending phase of peaks and troughs. Aim to make marginal improvements from week to week, and don't let a bad day or week through you into a tailspin.

I always say: you can have bad days and bad weeks, but let's avoid bad months and bad years.‍

3. Take failure seriously, but don't take it personally‍

You will absolutely fail at some point (if you haven't already). You will break your streak. You will 'drop the ball'. Even Olympic athletes will have imperfect training camps. So take failure seriously, don't take it personally. You haven't failed as a person.

Perhaps something in your plan isn't quite right, or maybe you're trying to do too much or not resting enough, and it's affecting your mood and motivation. The answer will be there somewhere, and you can redress the balance.‍

4. Make goals beyond the end of January‍

Whether you managed to stick to your resolutions or not, if they don't extend beyond the end of January, they're limited in the impact they can have on your life. So now is the time to make goals, make some short term goals you can tick off, and some longer-term goals that you can work towards over 6-12 months.‍

5. Get it done‍

It's on you to go out and get it done. We can support you and make your journey as direct and effective as possible, but, at the end of the day, you have to put the work in. Your success relies entirely on your commitment and ability to show up. Only when you understand this do you have a chance of succeeding, in January or any other time of year. You can do it.
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Five ways to increase your chances of glorious fitness success in 2022:

1. Get organised. Have a training plan with everything planned, every exercise, every rep (ICYMI, we can do this for you).
2. Be realistic. Most people overestimate how much time they have to spare. They also overestimate how much time they need to reach their goals. You probably don't need to be working out five times a week, so work with the time you do have and don't set yourself up for failure.
3. Treat yo'self. Whether that's paying for training, home gym kit, apparel, nutrition, gym membership… treat yo'self. It helps.
4. Find what you enjoy. If your exercise brings you no joy, you won't keep at it.
5. Measure progress. Keep track of your progress. You can use progress pics, scales, or monitor the weights you lift – whatever suits your goal. If you're doing the work, then 9 times out of 10, you'll be happy with the results. If not, it's time to review your plan and figure out why.