Stick to Your New Year's Exercise Resolutions

One of the most common resolutions that people make around New Years is to exercise, lose weight, and get fit. Lots of motivation and ambition drive these resolutions, but many people find that their determination deters out within weeks, and they fall back into old and counterproductive bad habits. This cycle often repeats itself over many years, and with time the motication to turn your life around feels stale. SweatVac Performance Wear provides some of the most effective tips to stick to your resolution and truly get your health under control, not only for the New Year, but for the rest of your life! 

Make realistic goals. 

This is the primary, and probably the most important step of the entire process. You have to make realistic goals that you know you can meet. In fact, make them goals that are easier than you think - that way you can EXCEED them and feel good about it, as well as learn your limits for future goals. If you want to lose weight, set a goal for a month, then a separate goal for three months, six months, and so on. This is because often with a diet and exercise regime you will lose weight quickly at first, then reach a slower rate of loss. This is completely normal according to physiology, and you should be prepared for this rate change, not discouraged by it. 

Accept lifestyle change.

This is a critical point that too many people fail to realize. Do not prepare to "diet". Realize that if you want to be healthy and fit, you will need to make a lifestyle change. Diets are bound to fail, this has been proven time and time again. They are psychologically painful as you set limits on yourself, bar yourself from certain foods, and all around are too strict - this is a setup for failure. Recognizing that what you need is a all-around lifestyle change if you want to live fit and healthy is a much more realistic view of the journey that you are about to undertake. You will not start out knowing everything necessary - it is a process that you will learn from day to day, adapt according to nutritional information you gain, and according to what does or doesn't work for you. With this view, you leave yourself room to adapt and change as you gain wisdom from the professional nutritional community, as well as from how you feel in your body. Looking on it as a process gives you the confidence and power you need to keep it up! 

Make a plan. 

Making a plan and sticking to it is a great way to become accountable to yourself. Your plan should include a healthy diet - one that is full of a diversity of fresh foods to insure you are gaining a wide variety of nutrients and minerals. You probably already know that fresh food - vegetables, nuts, lean protein, whole grains, healthy fats, and fruits - are essential. Avoid processed, packaged, and preserved foods. Plan to (and learn to) cook as much of your own food as you can. The Food Network provides great ideas and recipes for healthy home cooking. Not only will you save money, you will cook healthier food and gain control over this vital part of your life - and its fun! 

Exercise. 

In addition to a healthy diet, finding exercise that makes sense to you will make sure you stick to it! Find an exercise that gets you moving, but is something you also look forward to. You don't have to sign up for a gym membership only to let it languish unused as you avoid lifting weights. Take dance classes - the music and atmosphere make it like a party! Or try yoga, a calm and relaxing form of serious stretching and toning. Try something new and exotic, like a pole class or acrobatics! If you look forward to your exercise, you WILL stick to it. If you can, find a buddy to do it with - not only will it be more fun but you can motivate each other.