Fitness goals are a popular topic when talking about someone’s New Year’s resolutions, but many people end up setting unrealistic goals for themselves or give up before their new schedules become a habit.
Breaking habits can be difficult, especially when someone is trying to break bad ones.
Hardships with the current pandemic, focusing too much on a specific outcome or not having a strong enough purpose are all possible reasons someone’s resolution might end up flying out the door.
Nate Poznick, a graduate assistant at the Student Recreation Center, said one of the first things someone can do to keep their goals realistic.
“Instead of setting such high standards for yourself, saying you want to lose 50 pounds in three months, that’s unrealistic and never going to happen,” Poznick said. “It’s more important you fine-tune that and have a bigger goal in mind for a year from now, then subdivide that into smaller goals.”
Body image can be a reason for losing track of resolutions as well. Poznick said the two key things to staying positive and motivated when someone wants to reach their weight goals are staying off the scale and steering clear of social media.
“Invest in a tape measure because your results are most likely going to be, like a waist circumference measurement, in order to show that you’re actually making progress,” Poznick said. “Progress pics of people that started out three years ago and now have a six pack are showing you a three year progression. It doesn’t happen overnight.”
Being consistent with your program, gym visits and nutrition is another important aspect of keeping resolutions, Poznick said.
Having someone to work out with increases the chances of a person being able to create a new routine because they hold each other accountable and provide motivation.
The center offers fitness classes ranging from yoga to a high intensity bootcamp, with registration for them closing on Jan. 23 and the start date is Jan. 25.
The classes are seven weeks long, priced in at $50 for two days a week and $75 for three days a week. Due to COVID-19, classes are limited to 10 people and masks are required, along with no drop-ins being allowed.
Poznick said diet apps, like RP Diet Coach, are a good way to learn and grow healthy eating habits without spending every penny in the checking account.
“Buy cheaper options,” Poznick said. “You don’t have to buy beef for everything. Chicken is very, very cheap. Having a higher protein source than what most people probably consume is going to be crucial in losing and gaining weight.”
Eggs and beans are other cheap protein options while white rice and potatoes are inexpensive carbohydrate sources.
With a lot of on-campus living being so close to the SRC, it’s easy for students to walk a block or two as a warm up to their work out, but finding the time to work out for even a half hour can be difficult.
“If you don’t want to go to the gym or don’t have time to go, being able to do 15 minute workouts, two or three times a day of moderate to vigorous activity is going to be much more beneficial than just doing nothing,” Poznick said.
Anteia McCollum can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @antxiam5.