New Year’s Resolutions are these pesky things that many people in the fitness community love to hate.
 
For one, it’s hard to sustain goals for an entire year. Either they’re too easy and get accomplished within just a few months, or they’re so overwhelmingly huge that even incremental improvements towards that goal won’t lead to the outcome you're looking for. It’s often better to set short-term goals and reassess over time to see what’s realistic rather than to set one annual goal in stone.
 
And then there’s the whole “been there, done that” attitude that’s common around folks who have been around for a while. How do you find new, interesting goals when you’re already on track?
 
In spite of these issues, aiming for positive change is something that should be encouraged. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some areas that might be due for a shakeup.
 
The Basics
 
There’s often a tendency to focus on complex gadgets or complicated tracking to try to find that magic bullet that’ll help take you to the next level. Or maybe there’s a new fitness supplement (or stack of supplements) being pushed out by a fitness blog you love to hate. But before jumping towards these newfangled solutions, it’s good to make sure your fundamentals are in order.
 
Be Honest with Yourself
 
The more you know about health and fitness, the easier it is to lie to yourself. Those weird lab numbers? Probably something else going on. That extra weight you’ve gained? Probably all muscle, even though the way your clothes fit would suggest otherwise. That niggling injury? Something you need to suck up.
 
Make 2019 the year that you decide to let the data be your guide. Figure out your body fat percentage if you don’t think your BMI is accurate (because for athletes, it’s usually not). Get that MRI you’ve been putting off figuring out what’s really going on with that problem joint and how to address it. Get extra bloodwork to look at those odd numbers in context, and then make a plan to tackle them—including a date to run another test. The only way to make change is to first acknowledge that you need to.
 
 
Decide on the Gym Thing
 
Maybe you’re tired of gym culture and want to take some time to train on your own. Maybe you’ve been on your own long enough and want to give that box a try. Maybe you’ve ignored issues at your own gym for too long and want to switch to somewhere closer to home/closer to work/more supportive/more in line with your goals. Whatever it is, make a decision and follow through with it…even if that’s just recommitting to the gym you’re already at.
 
Get Your Sleep
 
Like nutrition, sleep is one of those things that everyone knows the importance of, but that a lot of people still struggle with. It’s never too late to set incremental sleep goals. That could be anything from getting to bed earlier (especially in the winter) to getting more overall hours of sleep to refusing to pull all-nighters. That emergency will have to wait until the morning. Then, figure out a game plan. Try getting most of your protein earlier in the day. Get some sunlight during lunchtime. Eat dinner earlier. Switch to candlelight after sunset. Lay down for an hour before bed. Experiment with supplements or sedative herbs. Whatever it takes.
 
 
Opposites Year
 
Aristotle’s golden mean is an ethical concept that a moderate position between two extremes leads to moral behavior. And while even the worst personal fitness routine could hardly be called unethical, finding a moderate position between two extremes can be a useful strategy for your own workout regimen.
 
Focus on the Rules…Or Be More Flexible
 
Some people are very good at rigidly adhering to plans or programs when it makes more sense to focus on outcomes and be a bit more adaptable, making changes in response to unexpected issues that arise. Other people (hand raised!) are a little too adaptable, for reasons that are more justifications for behavior than anything rooted in reality. It might make sense to veer a bit closer to the middle—try to be a bit less rigid and more adaptable if that’s something you struggle with, and be a bit stricter with yourself if that’s what’s called for. Now’s the perfect time to start.
 
Be More Well-Rounded… Or More Focused
 
Those of us who have juggled multiple sports or activities under the guise of GPP might decide to truly commit to just one activity for the year. What will it look like to stop trying to do everything? But there’s also a time to focus on being more well-rounded, or at least working on an aspect of your fitness that you’ve long-neglected, whether that’s flexibility or metabolic conditioning or even strength.
 
Help Someone Else…Or Focus on Yourself
 
If people have been asking you to teach kid’s classes or help out somehow, and you’ve been putting it off, this could be a good time to commit to giving back to the community. But if people are always pushing tasks off on you, 2019 could be the year that you decide to focus on yourself and your own goals.
 
Some Reminders
 
Resources
 
It can be a good idea to set goals that are solution-agnostic. That way, if your strategy for tackling that goal isn’t working, you can switch methods without having to drop the goal altogether. This is also a way to be strategic about what you’re sinking resources towards. You may not need to sign up for the latest overpriced online course or splurge for a new program with recurring fees. Some of the resources you’re looking for may be right under your nose—the coach you’re already seeing who suggested a change in the first place, a program or book collecting dust on your shelf or in your inbox since you already paid for and forgot about it, or even a back issue of the Performance Menu. Obviously, quality solutions are worth paying for, that’s a decision you should make deliberately.
 
Don’t Forget Self-care
 
It’s hard to step outside of your comfort zone, so be gentle with yourself if things don’t happen as quickly as you want them to. And make sure to take time for self-care. If you’re making drastic dietary changes, find non-food ways to be indulgent or blow off steam or whatever you were using food to treat. If you’re making huge fitness changes, make sure to set aside time and money for manual therapy, Epsom salt baths, buy that Stick you’ve been eyeing, whatever it takes.
 
Reassess and Reevaluate
 
As mentioned, 12 months is a really long time. Decide how often, and when, you’re going to see where you’re at with your goals. Maybe you’ll want to do a quick check-in every week and a bigger assessment once a month. Allow yourself to make changes to your goals as the year progresses, as long as you’re still making movement in the general direction you want to go.