January signals a fresh start and a good time to set goals for the new year. It’s also the perfect time to boot-up your fitness routine and get rid of any holiday pounds you might have added. Here are four tips on how to lock-in your fitness routine from the team here at Wrist Assured Gloves (WAGs).

1. Start With the Why

On the surface, it’s easy to come up with the reasons behind our fitness goals and routine. We may want to lose or maintain our weight and look our best. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find hidden tools to give you more motivation. Can you see yourself in one of the three scenarios below?

You’re Exercising for Your Kids and for Your Sanity

Perhaps you’re a mom with young kids and you are still trying to lose that pregnancy weight. In reality, though, exercise for you is much more than just weight loss. It’s a big stress reliever that helps you have more patience with your kids and sets a great example for them on the importance of exercise.

You’re Exercising for a Longer, Healthier Life

Maybe you’re facing middle age and your arms flap about when you wave good bye. If your goal is simply to have toned arms, just know that those same resistant exercises that will help you achieve sculpted arms are also strengthening bone density to keep osteoporosis and painful wrist fractures away as you age.

You’re Exercising for a Better Aging Experience

Are you a grandparent and working to stay fit to keep those creaky arthritic joints lubricated? A regular fitness routine can help you to stave off heart disease, as well as increase your flexibility, stamina, and lifespan so you can see your grand kids grow up or simply have a richer quality of life.

What is the WHY behind your desire to exercise regularly and to be healthy and fit?
Whatever the deeper reason may be, get clear on why your goal matters and connect with that on an emotional level as a motivator.

2. Set a Goal

Now that you know the why, it’s time to define your goal and write it down. Writing down your goals is more powerful than simply thinking about them or saying them. As an extra step, include a picture to help you visualize the end result and add power to your goal.

Make sure the goal is realistic, and then map out a few weeks at a time. These smaller actions or milestones will move you towards your goal. This gives you a sense of accomplishment and keeps you committed to your exercise program.

For example, maybe you want to run or walk your first 5K. Start by committing to a brisk walk three to five times a week, increasing your time and distance gradually. Next, add some aerobic exercise and cross training a few days a week, while continuing to walk or run two days a week. You may find even more motivation if your goal is tied to raising funds for a social cause you’re passionate about — knowing you are making a contribution to others can be the “why” that keeps you moving forward.

Revisit your goal daily or weekly, along with the deeper why from step one. As you hit those smaller milestones, you might notice a positive ripple effect through other areas of your life. Keep a log of your progress — just as writing down your goal is key, charting your progress helps with both motivation and accountability.

3. Plan for Success and Carve out the Time

The only way any goal gets accomplished is by dedicating time towards achieving it. If your life is full, and you fall back on the excuse that you don’t have time to exercise, then look at what you can remove from your week to make time. Building your exercise time into your weekly schedule is crucial. Look closely at how you spend your time and remove some of those time-sucking activities that aren’t real productive.

Often committed exercisers find the best time to complete their fitness routine is first thing every morning. Maybe this means getting up a half hour earlier to fit exercise into your day. If morning doesn’t work for you, then find a time that does and book it, like committing to a brisk walk after dinner instead of hitting the couch to watch TV. Whatever it is, don’t leave it to chance or try to just squeeze it in where you can.

Exercising is just as important (remember the WHY) as anything else you must do in a day. If you need, start small, with only 15 to 20 minutes daily, and gradually increase the time you commit to achieving your fitness goals. Carve out your exercise time a minimum of three times per week, put it on your calendar, and fulfill this commitment to yourself. Once you get back into your exercise groove, your body will reward you with a lighter mood, more energy, and better sleep. Make the time — the payoff is well worth it.

4. Include Variety, Fun, and Friends

Mix It Up

Add variety and fun into your fitness routine to make it more enjoyable and help you stay motivated. Mixing up your fitness activities will also serve as cross training so you’re working different muscles groups and getting both aerobic and strength-building exercises into your weekly routine.

Have Fun

Whether you choose to head out for a solitary bike ride or you want to join a Zumba class, include activities that you really enjoy. If lifting weights on your own is drudgery, try a sculpting or boot camp class a few times a week instead. The energy, music, and motivation you’ll get from a group class can add the fun factor to propel you towards your goals faster. Once a week, make your fitness activity pure fun so you don’t even consider it working out. Go out dancing with your friends or your partner, play a game of touch football, or go skiing or rollerblading. Just move!

Involve Your Friends or Partner With a Coach

If you’re having trouble honoring your commitment to exercise, then enlisting an accountability partner will definitely help you move towards your goals. This can be a friend with a similar fitness goal, a personal trainer, or a fitness coach. We’re more likely to skip an appointment with ourselves than let a friend down when we’ve promised to work out with them. If you just can’t seem to get started or keep to your scheduled exercise, then you need someone who can provide support and encouragement.

Boot up Now!

As you get your fitness routine going, remember to start with the “why” and then connect to a goal that’s meaningful and motivating. From there, it’s all about execution. Write down your goal, book the time to exercise, mix it up to include fun and friends, log your progress to keep you on track, and enlist an accountability partner, if needed. Just get moving, and in no time, you’ll be craving exercise like you crave chocolate!

To keep you going and alleviate wrist pain during your workouts, order a pair of WAGs wrist support gloves online. We offer different styles to match everyone’s needs, whether you prefer cycling and weight lifting or if you’re crazy for yoga and Pilates. Learn more about about the ergonomics and therapeutic benefits of our unique fitness gloves, and order your WAGs today to support your goals and routine.