TRAINING
HABITS BREED
SUCCESS :
This is the Year of Great Accomplishments
By : Frank Gigante , Natural Pro
Jenniffer Merida photo , CHICA Photography .
It is the start of another new year and another year of great expectations , promises to eat better , get in better shape , go to the gym , blah , blah , and blah ! There is plenty of support out there for this increased motivation as gyms and fitness centers are offering membership deals like crazy , personal trainers have special packages to sell as does every food service , bootcamp , and fitness class . There will be the noticeable rush and crowds in the gym for the next couple of weeks . But then what ? Where do those crowds go ? What happens after the middle of January or the beginning of February ? All of those good intentions and vibes are gone .
What happened ? You are left forgetting those great intentions you had at new year ’ s and start promising yourself you will get back to it on Monday , next week , or in the spring . Before you know it , it is December and you start making your list and swearing off junk food and all that other stuff as the New Year approaches . This pattern happens over and over with no consistent progress .
This cycle does not have to continue . This year , this month , can be when it stops . Where you will be a year from now can be drastically different from where you are right now , and where you were last year . That pattern has nothing to do with motivation . You know you have the motivation . You have the tools and desire to change . It is not about willpower . There is no need to beat yourself up .
What is it that keeps us from following through with our best of new year ’ s intentions ? The answer lies in our habits . We expect different results and big changes but we do not make the necessary changes to our daily routines . These changes are not flashy . There are no sales to buy new habits . There are not any free goodies or extras for changing our habits . This is what many businesses count on . They want your money . They are not interested in what you do after that . At the start of the year , it is easy to want to make changes because there is a group mentality as everyone it seems is motivated to make the same commitments to fitness and eating better and succeed . But after a few weeks , that mass excitement disappears , everyone is left on their own , and for most people , they find comfort in doing what they have always done . This is where progress falls apart , not in the desire to do better , but in the application of doing something different .
To successfully push past the New Year ’ s rush , there needs to be a change in a few daily routines . Some are more difficult than others to implement , but it is consistent implementation that leads to success . Here are a few practical strategies that can be worked in to your current routines and schedules to help transition into a successful start of the year .
DITCH THE ALL OR NOTHING APPROACH
One of the most common mistakes we see people make each year is they go from doing nothing in December , to wanting to do everything in January . People start going to the gym 5 , 6 , even 7 days a week .
14 Natural Muscle Magazine New Year 2017