Sticking To It

How to keep your fitness resolutions all year.

Dear Guys,
I’m doing pretty well sticking to my New Year’s resolutions to eat healthily and work out regularly. However, I know that come Mardi Gras or my next vacation, I’m bound to fall off my fitness wagon and end up where I started. Please give me some tips on how to stick to my healthy lifestyle all year!

First, congratulations on a good start. Sticking with exercise and healthy eating poses a challenge for all of us, but here are our top five sure-fire ways to make it easier:

Find a personal trainer. Studies have shown that people who work with a personal trainer will achieve up to 80 percent better results – three times faster than on their own. That is because a good trainer will keep you motivated and help you go beyond your self-imposed limitations. Plus, each time you train, you are working out to achieve your specific personal goals and doing exactly what your body needs. A trainer will also ensure good form and make sure you avoid injury. You might not be able to afford a personal trainer every time you work out (unlike all those Hollywood celebrities) but a regular session will help you set and keep to goals and maximize your workouts in between.

Let the music play. Research has shown that upbeat music can increase endurance by an average of 15 percent. If you don’t want to make your own playlists, there are some fantastic applications for handheld devices such as Motion Traxx Radio and Deekron the Fitness DJ, which provide workouts and music together.

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Maximize technology. There are many fantastic “virtual training” applications. Often free, these apps let you create your own workouts or use pre-set ones. They provide a great soundtrack as well as tracking your distance, calories and success with predefined goals. M-train; iMap My Fitness; Outdoor Trainer; RunKeeper Pro Personal Running Trainer; and Tap & Track Calorie, Weight & Exercise Tracker are a few of the best.

Join a gym. It is incredibly hard to work out in your bedroom or living room. A gym not only provides a huge variety of well-maintained safe equipment but also a motivating environment. Find somewhere that is friendly and has a community spirit. You will enjoy going there, and you’ll find motivation from the people around you and vice versa.

Finally, don’t give up. Everyone has setbacks. Don’t worry about what happened yesterday; just focus on what you can do today and tomorrow, and you’ll get there.

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Avenue Gives

We hope you will consider supporting these amazing nonprofits who are tirelessly lending much needed support to members of our community.

Good luck! You can do it!

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