Keep your fitness goals achievable this New Year

Do you make resolutions in the New Year but then find it difficult to keep them a few weeks in? Perhaps you are unsure about where to begin to make meaningful changes to your health and fitness, or took on something too challenging last year? We've all been there!

Instead of setting yourself hard to maintain goals like hitting the gym 5 times a week, try to make smaller sustainable changes that fit into your lifestyle that you can develop in time.

Start with something simple

Health professionals generally agree the two areas that have the most impact on our health and well-being are sleep and physical activity. Physical activity in particular transforms quality of life, making very tangible improvements in our physical as well as our mental well-being. To have the most positive and wide ranging impacts for our health however, physical activity should be a daily habit.

Reaping the benefits of regular exercise is easier than you might think. We don’t have to take up running, open a gym membership or invest in costly equipment to make positive impacts.

Make your fitness resolutions small and easily achievable on a daily basis. They don’t have to be that long in duration or require any great skill. For example, when the opportunity arises always take the stairs, go for a daily walk (even if it is just around the block), play catch with the kids or grandkids in the garden, or do some winter garden tidying. You could also re-evaluate your commute, could you incorporate walking or cycling?

Whatever it is, always try to make it fun and achievable. Chances are you will find these to be the New Year fitness resolutions that you can stick to throughout the entire year.

Want something slightly more challenging?

For those wanting a little bit more of a challenge, keeping your physical activity with as few barriers to achievement as possible will make doing it so much easier.

Can’t always make it to the gym? Choose something that you can do right from your front door - walk, jog, run or cycle. There are also additional benefits of being outside for your exercise as the exposure to natural daylight helps regulate circadian rhythm and improves mental health.

If you like exercise classes but find getting to the gym hard, why not try one of the many fitness apps available that you can do from home? With pilates, yoga, and strength training among the many options, there is something for everyone.

You could book in with a personal trainer at the gym or to visit you at home for a few sessions to give you some ideas that are effective and enjoyable and personalised to you to see you through the year.

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Wishing you an active and healthy 2022,