The start of 2017 is officially upon us! We are more than a week into the New Year, and for the next month and a half, “New Years Resolutions” will be the topic on everyone’s tongues. It is that time where fitness goals are at an all time high; people are vowing to eat healthier or go to the gym every day (it is also the time of year that gym regulars hate because the gym becomes that much more crowded). Whether you promised yourself you would throw out all of your junk food or you’re determined to get those six pack abs for the upcoming bikini season, we’ve all had New Year's resolutions, and I’m sure we’ve all probably failed at maintaining those resolutions once or twice before.

When it comes down to it, maintaining a New Years resolution is all about the motivation. The reason most people are able to keep good on their resolutions and goals within the first month is because they have a strong sense of motivation. But, the term “new year, new me” can only keep you going for so long. After that first month, people usually start to have one too many cheat days and they begin sleeping through their morning workouts. The phrases “I’ll only have one more cookie” or “I’ll go tomorrow and work twice as hard!” start becoming more and more frequent, and before you know it you end up back at square one and you’re telling yourself “I’ll make it my resolution for next year!”

I think what people forget when making New Years Resolutions is who they’re making these resolutions for. Any goal that you set should be a personal goal; it shouldn’t concern anyone else and you should want to reach that goal for your own benefit. Some people set these fitness goals to look like people they see on Instagram, celebrities they see on TV, or even friends that they envy. It’s great to be motivated by these celebrities or fitness moguls, but you and your body are unique in their own right, so let’s face facts: you are NEVER going to look like anybody but yourself, so set a goal that works for you. Set a goal that will make you love your body and you proud of how far you’ve come. Plan a diet that works for your body type and your lifestyle.

Remember why you started this resolution in the first place! Maybe you wanted to be able to look in the mirror and finally feel confident in what you see, or maybe you wanted to change up your diet and shed those few extra pounds. Whatever it is, do it for you, and don’t give up until you get where you want to be. Every new routine is hard to stick to until you make a habit of it, so do whatever you can to make it a habit that you are willing to and can stick with long term. If you stick with your resolution, by 2018 you’re going to look back and be proud of everything you’ve accomplished, no matter how slow or fast your progress at the gym was or how well you stuck to your diet (you’ll also be way ahead of the people who are starting their New Years resolutions all over again when 2018 rolls around).

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins

Happy New Year!