It’s January 1st, your alarm goes off, and you eagerly jump out of bed to hit the gym and start crushing your resolutions. Flash forward to February, and you might be hitting the snooze button more than a few times. Where did all that “new year, new me” motivation go?

Fitness New Year’s resolutions are by far the most popular. Getting more exercise takes the top spot, with weight loss and eating healthier coming in second and third place. But holding onto your exercise mojo for the long run is easier said than done. Approximately 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the first week of February. That’s a lot of canceled gym memberships!

But don’t let the data get you down. If you’re committed to conquering those ambitions, here’s how to stay motivated to work out.

Hit the Reset button

A big part of why New Year’s resolutions don’t survive the winter is because the goals you set were too lofty. For example, let’s say that on your most active day in 2019 you walked your dog, then in 2020 you resolved were going to lose 50 pounds and to get there you were going to workout 60-minutes 5 days per week… that is pretty lofty for most. Rather, a more achievable goal to start the party might have been a 30-minute workout 3 days per week. Then once you nail that, THEN maybe you can bump it up to 30-minutes twice and 45-minutes once. Then if that becomes a behavior, maybe add a day 4. See the pattern?

Ya see, sometimes when you dive in the pool, rather than wade in, you hit the bottom too hard. When that happens you burn out, and often just quit altogether. So, my suggestion is that you hit the reset button now if you’re in that 80%. Reset your goals from scratch and keep the advice above in mind when doing so and then you’ll be much more likely to experience success!   

Stay on Schedule 

We all know that feeling of looking at your gym bag and thinking really hard about whether you actually need to go today, or if you can justify skipping, just this once! That moment of decision is the time you’re most likely to quit, so making (and keeping) a consistent workout schedule will help avoid it. Find a time that works for you, whether it’s early morning before work or late night after the kids are asleep. Mark it on your calendar, set a reminder, and look at it with the same importance you’d look at an appointment or meeting. Take away that room for decision, and you’ll be much more likely to stick with it. Remember, consistency is key!

Make it Fun

If you’ve been wanting to try that out-of-the-box workout trend you saw on Instagram, now’s the perfect time! To keep workout boredom at bay, add variety to the way you’re getting your fitness in. Try out that awesome kickboxing routine your friend raved about, sign up for a fun disco spin class, or experiment with yoga and Pilates. Switching things up will make reaching your fitness goals way more exciting, and way more attainable. You can even set a goal to try something new once a month, even if it’s just getting outside for a hike or a swim. You never know, you might find your new fav workout.

Get a Little Help from Your Friends

If choosing to stay home would mean leaving your gym buddy hanging, you’ll be way more likely to put those sneakers on. Having someone right there with you not only keeps you accountable, but it’s more fun, too. Plus, studies have shown that working out with someone who motivates you can increase your performance by up to 200%. So create goals with friends that you can work on reaching together or make a scheduled weekly gym date so you both stay on track. To surround yourself with even more motivated exercise-lovers, joining a group class is the way to go! The energy in the room alone will keep you pumped up, plus you’ll get to meet some new fitness friends.

Reward Yourself

Want a surefire way to get motivated about fitness? Two words: treat yourself. Everyone loves getting a little gift every once in a while, so there’s no better way to stay motivated than to reward yourself for hitting goals. Buy some new athletic clothes when you run an extra mile, or take a relaxing night off after successfully hitting all your workouts for the week. Just remember to create realistic goals and break them down, then reward yourself as you hit each step. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but adding a little incentive will go a long way.

Focus on Feeling Good

Setting massive goals like hitting the weights every single day or getting some solid 6-pack abs might get you fired up at first, but they aren’t great for keeping your motivation as time goes on. A slight shift in mindset can make all the difference in sticking to your resolutions. Rather than comparing yourself to others or getting discouraged when you don’t hit a certain number, focus on how you feel. If finally doing one push-up with perfect form makes you feel accomplished, that’s awesome! Take that feeling in and be proud of your accomplishment. At the end of the day, it’s all about what gets you feeling your best.

With Studio SWEAT onDemand, you’ll get access to tons of fun classes that will keep you pumped and sweating all year long. And since they’re streamed, you can try out TRX, Spin, Yoga, HIIT, and more, no matter where you’re at. Plus, our passionate trainers will be there with you every step of the way. To get started and stay committed, sign up for our 7-Day Free Trial. So don’t just be part of the statistic – get up, get out, and crush those New Year’s resolutions! See you at the gym!