We’ve hit the middle of January, and it's about the time when a lot of people who began a new workout regime in the new year fall off the wagon. Things start getting tough, they skip a couple of sessions, and before they know it, all their plans have come apart.

Figuring out how to stick to a wellness routine can be tough; any change in our habits involves rewiring our brains, and naturally there can be some resistance to this. You may have started off with a great motivation, but you can lose steam as the month rolls on. It's easy to write this off as life getting in the way, but that doesn’t have to be the case - usually it's our mindset that is the problem rather than any external factor. So, how do you make this year different and stick to the goals you’ve set yourself?

Focus On Your First Move

When we think about all we have to achieve, it can seem quite overwhelming. The scale of the change required, all the hard work we have to put in before we see tangible progress - focusing on the big picture can be helpful for goal-setting, but it's not as helpful when you’re trying to get out of bed early to fit in your yoga practice or persuading yourself to go for a run rather than binge-watching something on Netflix. Showing up is generally half the battle, so focus in on just getting yourself where you need to be and don’t think about anything beyond that. Focus on the logistics, such as getting your kit ready. That way it becomes about getting there - and the most daunting part doesn’t need to be thought about until later.

Find Your Patience

We know that real progress doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t put pressure on yourself if results aren’t showing straight away. Give yourself a time frame - say, six weeks - as a milestone to assess your progress. Whether this means seeing whether you’ve toned up, or comparing your flexibility or endurance, don’t be tempted to test yourself until this time is up, and then you’ll see clearly how far you’ve come.

Get Some Expert Advice

It's important when starting out to get the right guidance. This helps you to set realistic achievements and protects you from injury or getting burnt out through overdoing it. Find some affordable guidance at a gym like Fitness 19 or find local classes that you can attend regularly. You can always complement this with practice at home, finding a home yoga routine or a HIIT workout online which suits your level of expertise - but nothing can entirely replace some hands-on help and guidance when you’re just starting out.

Don’t Make It All Or Nothing

Operating with a very black and white mindset is not going to do you any favors when it comes to sticking to your fitness routine. If you set a really ambitious goal, like doing a 60 minute session, and you can’t manage it, it can be tempting to see yourself as a failure. Life does tend to get in the way - we all have off days, or periods of low energy. See anything you put in as a success, even if it doesn’t match the original plan, and don’t allow the odd missed day to put you off. The real secret to success is consistency, so plan ahead and stick to your routine, even if you don’t hit every single mark.

Featured