Renew Your Resolution

For many, the month of February brings a painful realization of how hard keeping with your 2010 New Year's Resolution really is. The glamour of a new challenge wears off, the hustle bustle of everyday life becomes harder to break away from, and excuses are easier to make each and every day. But don't give up just yet!

Since the majority of America vows to fulfill fitness goals every New Year, I have listed a few tips that will keep your motivation up and your eyes on the prize.

1. Picture Perfect! Post a picture of yourself at your ideal weight or a picture of yourself at your current weight as an extra daily reminder. Putting a picture on your desk at work can help prevent mindless snacking at the workplace; posting a picture on your frig can help stop you from reaching for that tub of ice cream; hanging one on your bathroom mirror is another reminder.

2. Move to your own Beat! Music has been proven to help people push themselves further and faster than those who do not listen to music while working out. I try to add new music to my work out playlist every few months to keep me engaged and my energy high while lifting weights or doing cardio. There's nothing like hearing a fast-paced tune come on right at the peak of your work out for an extra push. Some iPod's even have programs that integrate with Nike sneakers to recognize your specific pace and match certain songs to the beat of your own feet, giving you the perfect soundtrack for your work out!

3. X marks the spot. Mark an "X" for every day you accomplish a successful workout. Seeing the days that you meet your goals, or fail to meet them, will be an additional reminder of how far you've come (or have to go)... in turn helping you stay on track. An added bonus is that when people see your calendar, you will receive praise and encouragement from those around you too!

4. "One Up" Yourself. Keeping a notebook of your work outs and your improvements is a great way to track how far you've come and how far you are from your goals. I keep a notebook of the weight I lift with each exercise, and try to improve by a few pounds each time I go to the gym (i.e. "one up" yourself!). By doing this, you are sure to get stronger and see results. This is a much safer way of lifting weights as well, instead of going into the gym with no concept of how much you can handle. Start light and work your way up.

5. Indirect incentives! The final advice I have to keeping with your resolution if you are starting to fall off track is to tell people about your goals. Telling people will give you the sense of a responsibility to stick with them. Friends and family will ask how it's going, and you will want to have positive feedback to provide.

I have mentioned goals quite a few times throughout this article. If your goals have evolved since January 1^st, maybe now is a good time to reevaluate your objectives. Know that you must keep in mind your lifestyle and schedule so you do not disappoint yourself with out of reach expectations. The most important thing you can do when setting a fitness goal is to know yourself and what you are capable of in a particular time frame combined with your motivation level.

When you find yourself further and further away from your goal, take a minute to think of why you made the goal, what you wanted to accomplish, and the feelings you felt when you made the goal. Putting yourself back in the moment you created the challenge for yourself can renew feelings of determination and fortitude. However, once a goal is reached you must keep placing the bar higher and higher for yourself.

Remember, the only place that "success" comes before "work" is in the dictionary!