With New Year’s Eve and the New Year right around the corner, people are starting to think up their resolutions for 2017. According to a survey done by the Nielsen Company, the top ten resolutions in 2015 were: stay fit and healthy (37%), lose weight (32%), enjoy life to the fullest (28%), spend less and save more (25%), spend more time with family and friends (19%), get organized (18%), will not make any resolutions (16%), learn something new/new hobby (14%), travel more (14%), read more (12%). It’s pretty clear that weight and health are still largely on the minds of Americans. I think it’s great that so many people want to get in shape and improve their lifestyles; however, very few actually stick with it. Their workout plans might last two or three weeks, but then the excuses kick in. The most common excuses are being too tired, being busy, finding exercise boring, or being discouraged after not seeing results. Three weeks is only twenty-one days. Experts say it takes sixty-six days to make a new habit and stick with it.

There is a lot of technology out today that can help with getting in shape. One of the most popular at the moment is the FitBit. It’s a small band that goes around your wrist and can measure your heart rate, tell the time, and other great things. It also acts as a pedometer and counts your steps. A healthy person should take about 10,000 steps a day. When you reach 10,000 steps on your FitBit it buzzes and celebrates. It might seem silly, but that’s some good motivation. It can encourage you to go for a run to get those steps in. It’s a way to visibly see a goal being achieved each day.

Some people are very self-conscious when it comes to working out in a gym full of other people. I promise that they aren’t judging. They all started out at the beginning too. If that is what is preventing you from working out, then I suggest going early in the morning. Most gyms that aren’t open 24 hours do open around five or six in the morning. You can have the gym to yourself and it’s a great way to start the day. It may be hard to wake up but a morning workout really boosts energy and can improve your day.

A lot of workouts and exercises can be done at home. If there’s time to watch TV, there’s time to workout. You can even workout while you watch TV. That’s like the best of both worlds.

The key to getting in shape, besides setting goals, is finding some inspiration. Find someone to look up to on Instagram or social media. This is a really good tool for motivation. My personal favorites are Kayla Itsines (@kayla_itsines) and Nastassia Ponomarenko (@nponomagainster).

Lastly, getting fit and losing weight has a lot to do with the kitchen. You could workout every day and still not see results if all you eat is junk. Try to pay attention to the food pyramid and eat well balanced meals.

Ultimately, sticking to your New Year’s Resolution is up to you and the effort that you put in.

Input = Output