Health and Wellness

By Chhayal Parikh

Good Intentions…No Motivation
10 ways to keep your fitness goals in 2005

Happy New Year! Health and fitness resolutions are the most common goals Americans make for the New Year. The local gyms are packed and for once it feels like people are truly concerned about their health and well-being. But, like mendhi on a bride's hands, this pact-to-self soon fades. Why do we set resolutions for ourselves and then find the first excuse not to see them through? New year's resolutions too often become a good intention that you never fulfill.

Eating right and exercising are the most common resolutions made--and broken--by Americans. Gyms project high sales between the months of December and January. While the members start out coming to the gym three or four times per week, they typically start to slack come February. If health and fitness are not part of your daily

1. Know your end goal
It’s important to remember why you are making a resolution related to health and fitness. Ask yourself how will it improve your life? Write it down, frame it, and attach it to your fridge or your bathroom mirror. A constant reminder of your fitness goal will help you to not fizzle out on your resolution.

2. Set realistic goals and reward yourself for achieving them
Every Sunday sit down and decide what you would like to achieve the upcoming week. Maybe you want to increase your run time or lift a heavier set of weights. Find a compromise between your goal and what you can realistically achieve. Set a time in your schedule to tackle this task. At the end of the month treat yourself with a healthy reward like extra sleep, a trip to the spa or new clothes.

3. Plan for it
If you have a goal, schedule it in your calendar. If you don’t have time to make it to the gym, lift free weights or do yoga while watching T.V.

4. Keep a diary
Tracking your progress will encourage you to stay committed to your end goal. Make a diary of your own that tracks what you have eaten and/or what exercise you accomplished for that day. The American Heart Association provides a free online diary log at www.justmove.org.

5. Find a friend with the same goal
The buddy system is a fool-proof approach to staying committed and having fun while trying to obtain your health goals. It’s harder to ditch the gym when a friend is waiting for you in the locker room.

6. Keep it fun
If you enjoy what you are doing, you will be more apt to stick with it. Listen to different music, try a new sport, or plan a weekend activity with family and friends.

7. Change it up to avoid boredom
As humans we tend to stay in our comfort zone. It's healthy to step out of this region and experience new activities. Trying new exercises may feel unfamiliar at first, but you will appreciate and grow from the experience.

8. Change it up to get a better workout
Your body and mind will become acclimated to the same environment if you do not add variety to your workout. If you walk, try swimming. If you run, try a spin class. The change will offer a better overall workout by exercising different areas.

9. Take baby steps
Don’t think you can change your habits overnight. A permanent change in your regime will come slowly and should be adapted as such. Start off slow and work your way up. A common mistake is overdoing it the first day and not coming back on the second.

10. Don’t make excuses
It turns out Nike was right--you should adopt an attitude of "Just Do It." For the new year, stop making excuses that you are too tired or stressed. The fact is that working out will make you more energized and is the best, all-natural, stress relief available. Keep this in mind when you feel like reneging on your 2005 resolutions.

Chhayal Parikh is certified with the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) and as a SPIN instructor. She currently teaches at the Capital City Club and Spa in Washington DC and is pursuing her Masters of Arts in Interactive Journalism at American University.

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