So, 2018 is here and you promised yourself that you'd start working out for the new year. One of the most common new years resolutions is to start working out, however, like most new years resolutions, people have a hard time actually doing them. I made a resolution at the beginning of 2017 to work out but stopped after about two weeks. Later on in the year in August, at the beginning of the fall semester, I tried working out again and stuck with it throughout the semester. I gained 25 lbs and tripled my strength. Here are seven things that I learned in my experience that will help get you the body you want for the new year.

1. Hit the gym consistently.

The biggest mistake that people make when they start working out is that they stop. I have 5 friends who saw me building muscle and wanted to tag along with me to the gym to start making gains too. All of them stopped working out after 2 or 3 weeks and so they didn't see any gains. In order to achieve your fitness goals, whether it's losing weight or building muscle, you have to find the motivation to work out and you must maintain it. Even if you don't feel like hitting the gym, you have to make it a priority if you want the results that you're looking for. Once you start hitting the gym consistently, it gets easier over time to stay consistent. I personally hit the gym 5 days a week and at first it was hard, but after about a month it became a habit and I felt weird on days that I didn't go.

2. Get a friend to tag along.

For a beginner, it can be invaluable to have a buddy at the gym with you. It is best if you go to the gym with an experienced friend that can show you how to do things but if you don't have a friend that frequents the gym you can bring along any other friend. Having a friend at the gym with you can provide you with extra motivation to finish out a set that you're having difficulty with, give you someone to spot you, and makes working out a more fun experience overall.

3. Incorporate cardio.

We've all heard the myth that cardio kills your gains. When I first started working out, I heard from all my gym buddies that cardio kills your gains, so naturally I made sure to stay away from cardio because I was trying to gain weight. I didn't do much cardio until I found out that cardio can actually help you look better and more toned, as well as increase your gains. While doing too much cardio can kill your gains, if you incorporate cardio two or three times a week and eat a little extra to compensate for the calories you burned, you can increase your gains. If you're trying to lose weight you may want to do more cardio to burn away more fat.

4. Use proper form.

A big mistake that beginners make in the gym is that they use improper form. This can happen for several reasons. Beginners may be ignorant of what is proper form for certain exercises, or they could be starting off with too much weight which can cause your form to be off. If you're unsure of how to do an exercise, google a video of it or ask a gym veteran. Remember to try and keep your back straight (especially when doing deadlifts because if you don't you can injure your back). Use the mirror whenever possible. And make sure to not use too much weight, especially when you're first starting off.

5. Try supersets if you're pressed for time.

A superset is when you do two different exercises back to back with little rest in between. Supersets are a great way to do a lot of exercise in a little bit of time because the time you would've spent sitting around doing nothing ("resting") would be used to work out. When supersetting, you can be in and out of the gym in 45 minutes.

6. Change your diet.

Going to the gym and working out is the easy part for me. Changing your diet is probably one of the most difficult things about getting fit, however it is necessary. I personally used to eat very little but in order to gain muscle, I had to eat more. I personally have a very fast metabolism and I worked out a lot so I had to eat 3500 to 4500 calories a day, however many people who are trying to lose weight need to go into a caloric deficit to reach their fitness goals. Generally just make sure to eat a sufficient amount of protein (1 gram for every pound you weigh) and complex carbs. Also make sure to ditch the soda and drink water.

7. Don't forget to breathe.

Make sure to breathe in and out when exercising. If your muscles don't get enough oxygen then you won't be able to lift as much as if you got a sufficient amount.