Blog Entry

Madi, one of our ACE-Certified Personal Trainers, has some advice about New Year's Resolutions.

Why do you think most people fail on their New Year’s resolution goals?

I think sometimes people scare themselves, they look at the big picture of having to do something for a whole year.  They have a big goal but do not break it down into attainable steps. I also think sometimes people start too fast, this tends to burn people out faster.

What is your advice to someone with a New Year’s resolution?

Break your goal down into attainable steps. Think through your action step all the way from a 3-month plan down to 1 week. This will help your resolution seem manageable and attainable. In Fitness, we love the acronym “SMART” (Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely). With this acronym, really try to break down your yearlong resolution into smaller more manageable goals that will ultimately help you reach your overall goal.

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?

This year I decided to do something a little different. I am setting monthly goals/ challenges for myself. I believe that you can do anything for a month, and often times a habit will develop in that period. You might actually find yourself sticking to that single month goal you set.

What are some New Year’s resolutions ideas for people?

• Choose stairs over the elevator or escalator.
• Try something new that challenges you once a month.
• Try one way each day to move more, and sit less.

About the Author: Madison Brown is a Senior Applied Exercise Science Major and a 2018 NIRSA William Wasson Student Leadership Award Winner.