[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It’s time once again to map out your goals for another new year—and not surprisingly, a recent
Forbes Health survey found that almost 50 percent of Americans want to prioritize their fitness in 2024. While 80 percent feel confident in their ability to reach this goal, only 5 percent of all new year’s resolutions will last longer than 6 months, the survey found.
Why do fitness resolutions often run out of steam and how can you beat those odds to achieve success? Here’s five reason New Year’s resolutions fail and how you can stay motivated, consistent, accountable and on-track in 2024 and beyond.
5 Reasons New Year’s Resolutions Fail & How You Can Beat the Odds
Setting resolutions is an annual tradition in many cultures,
dating back at least 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonian civilization. While this ritual can be symbolic of a fresh start to pursue new ambitions and commitments, it can also seem arbitrary, without much thought or intentionality behind it.
In fact, the same Forbes survey shows that more than 60 percent of Americans feel pressured to make a resolution in the first place. Let’s be honest: this sense of obligation to follow a social norm just because it’s expected is ultimately not enough incentive to stick with a new year’s resolution for the long-term.
But a poor “why” is not the only thing holding you back. Here are five science-backed reasons why fitness resolutions commonly fail—plus, how to avoid this outcome.
1. The resolution is too ambitious
Your fitness resolution should present a challenge—after all, if it feels boring, easy or repetitive, you might lose interest. But when you aim
too high, this can also derail your efforts. Research from the
University of Washington found that unrealistic goals often increase the likelihood of discontinuing healthy interventions.
While the pursuit of a goal can lead to self-efficacy, it must believe it to be somewhat attainable in order to create that feeling, the study continues. Whereas an overly ambitious goal could result in overwhelm or discouragement.
How to overcome this: Small, conscious lifestyle shifts could have a
major impact on your health, resulting in more physical exertion, less sedentary behaviors and lower risk of chronic illness. So choose a few
bite-sized fitness goals to consistently work on and incrementally build upon throughout the year.
Make sure that they’re also attainable, trackable and most of all, enjoyable. Plus, be willing to adapt as life happens throughout the year, throwing inevitable curve balls and challenges.
2. You don’t prepare ahead of time
A strong desire to achieve your fitness resolution is not enough. That initial enthusiasm you feel at the starting line eventually wears off, and without a definitive action plan, it’s hard to sustain your momentum.
According to the
Brain Sciences Journal, advance preparation cues that are specific and easily repeatable (i.e. leaving a packed gym duffle at the front door) can increase overall exercise adherence. On the flipside, lack of preparation is a barrier to success, like if you sign up to run a marathon, then forget to actually train. Of course you’re going to struggle!
How to overcome this: Effective action plans clarify
where,
when and
how your goal will be achieved. Start with where: At home,
outside or at a local fitness center? Next, move on to when: What time frame and exercise duration is realistic for your schedule? And finally, how: Do you need equipment? Should you enlist an
accountability partner? Will it help to set reminders?
Iron out the logistics upfront so you can be successful past the first six months.
3. Your brain sees change as “flying blind”
Fundamentally, a goal requires some kind of change—whether it means altering your behaviors, schedule, environment or priorities. But the idea of change can often evoke fear because your brain associates it with uncertainty.
In fact, the autonomic nervous system
processes uncertainty as “flying blind.” This can leave you feeling anxious, out of control or unable to make a clear decision. For this reason, it’s easier to resist changes (even if they’re beneficial) and stick with the familiar instead.
How to overcome this: If you haven’t been able to create a sustainable fitness routine in the past, the issue might not be a lack of intention or effort. It could be that you just weren’t ready to change.
Before you set a fitness resolution, ask yourself: Where am I currently at in the
“Stages of Change” model? Do you see a compelling incentive to transform your mindset and behaviors around exercise? Are you willing to do what it takes to put the necessary changes in motion? An honest evaluation can help you decide if now is actually the right time to commit. Remember, just because everyone else is planning to make big changes right now doesn’t mean you need to!
4. You’re lacking a clear “why”
If your sole reason for making a fitness resolution is the belief that you
should, this is a surefire way to run out of motivation. Without a tangible mission behind your actions, the entire pursuit of this goal will start to feel meaningless after a while.
I don’t know the “why” that drives your resolution, chances are, you won’t see it through to fruition because it doesn’t actually matter to you in a way that’s meaningful. When you lack a sense of purpose, it’s hard to clarify values, aims and intrinsic motivations (let alone, embody them), according to research from the
University of Oregon.
How to overcome this: When you
do have a sense of purpose, your resilience in the face of challenges and decision-making circuitry to choose healthier behaviors all increase. Instead of simply declaring a resolution you think you should choose, take a beat to pause and reflect on why it matters to you.
For example, let’s assume your fitness goal is to exercise one hour each day, five times a week. Define the overarching purpose of this and why it matters to you. Is it to find a new activity that you’ll enjoy? Is it to build strength so you feel stronger playing with your kids? Or is it just because that's what you think you should do?
5. You focus only on the end result
It’s helpful to know your ideal result, of course, but fixating too much on this can overshadow the journey to get there. The problem with this is that
research shows only rewarding performance success—while minimizing the actual effort—is likely to cause a fixed mindset.
A fixed mindset is the belief that all abilities are innate (and therefore, unchangeable). It ties your self-worth to the results you achieve, which can lead to a fear of failure, difficulty learning from mistakes and a sense of inadequacy if the final outcome is less than perfect. Talk about anxiety! No wonder if you give up after just a few weeks.
How to overcome this: Instead of focusing on the end result of your fitness resolutions, reward all the progress and milestones each step of the way. This creates a growth
mindset— the belief that you
can cultivate new abilities over time. A growth mindset will make failures or difficulties feel less threatening, which boosts motivation to pursue those outcomes you want.
Level-Up Your Fitness Resolutions in 2024
Whether your goal is to run a marathon or just find movement you enjoy, it’s entirely possible to set a resolution and actually turn it into your reality. With a clear “why,” definitive plan and celebrations along the way, your fitness resolutions can lead to a lifetime of healthy, sustainable habits.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Featured Products" border_width="2"][vc_row_inner equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" gap="35"][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="171744" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1703801447100{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/nuun-sport-hydration-single-tube-tropical-fruit"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="171743" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1703801465782{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/four-sigmatic-organic-plant-based-protein-with-immune-supporting-mushrooms-adaptogens"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="171742" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1703801480652{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/clif-bar-organic-nut-butter-bars"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
