How many times have you made a New Year’s Resolution and not been able to keep it? I would bet money that everyone has made some kind of resolution with a start date of January 1.

Some of the most common resolutions are, “I am going to start going to a gym” “I am going to lose weight” or “I am going to start an exercise program.” Research shows that about half of all adults make New Year’s resolutions. However, 60 per cent fail by the third week of January and about 80 per cent fail by the second week of February. Fewer than 10 per cent manage to keep their resolution for more than a few months.

Did you ever notice that some people can make significant changes to their shape and size while others take years and have failure after failure? Sometimes motivation fades away or resolutions are too lofty to achieve. This can all be tied to the power of goal setting compared to making a broad statement as a New Year’s Resolution.

The link between goal setting and achieving is well documented. Often people set expectations that are too high and unrealistic. A resolution that is too hard to achieve in a short period of time, doing too much to soon and getting frustrated, injured or losing interest when they are aren’t seeing results quickly enough.

The other important piece is that people often don’t stick with their New Year’s Resolution for at least 30 or as many as 60 days. Research tells us it takes between 30 to 60 days to create a habit. But how do you get over that hump to create a habit?

SMART goals lead to success

I recommend throwing away your New Year’s Resolutions and creating a SMART goal to set up for success in your fitness and weight loss goals.

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Achievable and Action-oriented

R – Realistic

T – Time Specific

Let’s create a sample SMART goal for 2021 around running. Don’t try to run a marathon before you run a 5 km. Let’s make it into a SMART goal. If I am a non-runner who hasn’t exercised in five years, I would make a specific goal to complete a 5 km run. I will begin with walking and then add walk run intervals every minute. I will build on my running intervals versus walking each week. By July, I will be running 20 minutes without walk intervals. I will ensure I make time for my runs and not set up unrealistic goals by setting aside three times a week at 7 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I will prepare my clothing, shoes and water bottle the evening before to ensure that I am ready. I will measure my success by writing in my journal three times a week when I complete my run. I will book myself into a run of my choice and register for the run to take place in the month of August 2021. This goal is a SMART goal. I have not set myself up for failure with unrealistic goals and timelines. It is achievable and attainable.

Be Accountable to Your Goals

Goals will be more achievable when you write them down. Choose a spot you frequent often. Write down the steps you need to get to your goal and realistic timelines along the way. Having these reminders in your daybook, smartphone, on your fridge or your mirror will help you be successful in achieving your goal.

Another way to be accountable is by creating support from a friend, a partner or an exercise specialist. Telling another person about your goal and asking for their support will assist both of you. Having another person to encourage you to get up at 7 a.m. for your run will help change your behaviour and make achieving your goal easier when you work together as a team.

Celebrate Efforts and Successes

Celebrating your successes and small improvements such as increasing your run from a five-minute run to a six-minute run without walk intervals is a success to celebrate. Treat yourself to a healthy treat or a new pair of running tights or a yummy freshly squeezed green juice. Continue to encourage all steps toward your goal and success will come your way.

About Kimberly:
I am a certified fitness instructor and personal trainer with more than 30 years of experience and loving every minute of it. My philosophy on fitness is making it fun, challenging, and full of variety. Today, I am passionate about short, intense workouts called Tabata, as well as yoga, paddle boarding and skiing.
You can reach me by joining my private Facebook group.