2017 is here and that means that a large majority of people are probably thinking about what they want to accomplish in the New Year and how they will get there. While New Year’s Resolutions can sometimes be made a joke and many times people fall short on their resolutions, that doesn’t mean that you can’t go into the New Year with goals that you can be successful with. As an athlete, you likely know what it takes to reach your goals so go and chase them! And if you aren’t quite sure what resolutions you want to make this year, we have some suggestions.
1. Implement some small, healthy habits
Having big fitness goals is great but it’s the little habits that get us to those big fitness goals. Start by making some small changes to your overall routine such as going to bed 30 minutes earlier or drinking a whole glass of water first thing in the morning. These small achievements will help you start to feel healthier and give you more motivation to reach those bigger goals.
2. Change your eating habits
We all know that making healthy eating decisions is good for our body and mind and can help make us a better athlete but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we follow that credo. Well maybe now is the time to start. Maybe it’s time to shut your sweet tooth down, decrease your salt intake, eliminate artificial ingredients, add a multivitamin or even just start drinking more water. Not only will that make for a healthier 2017 but we bet you’ll start noticing an increase in your performance levels during your training too.
3. Get a training partner
It’s no secret that working out with others both pushes us further and holds us more accountable. And it’s not just hearsay, there’s actually scientific proof that training with another person is beneficial to your overall health and wellness. Take these 2 studies for example:
- A 2011 study published in the Psychology of Sport and Exercise found that the exercise habits of people you know have a positive influence on your exercise habits.
- Another study from the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University, surveyed married couples who joined health clubs together and found that couples who worked out separately had a 43 percent dropout rate over the course of a year. Those who went to the gym together, regardless of whether they focused on the same type of exercise, had only a 6.3 percent dropout rate.
And not only are you more likely to hit the gym when there’s someone going with you but training with a partner has also been shown to have a positive effect on the intensity of your workouts as well as your relationship with the person with whom you train.
Still not convinced? Here are 6 reasons you should workout with a partner.
4. Spend more time outside
Sure working out in the cold can seem intimidating and sometimes downright awful. And even if you’re someone who runs exclusively outside during warmer months, when those lower temperatures hit even you might be driven to break out the treadmill. While we are huge proponents of the gym (especially in below freezing temperatures), we’re also proponents of getting outside. With the right gear and the right attitude, venturing into the elements isn’t so bad and you might even find a newfound passion for winter running.
For tips on working out in the cold, check out our blog post on winter weather training and when summer rolls around get some advice from our summer weather training blog post.
5. Take up cross-training
No matter whether you’re a football player, skier, runner or some other type of athlete, you can benefit greatly from cross-training. Some of the benefits of cross-training include injury prevention, enhanced motivation, higher levels of endurance, increased flexibility and more. So no matter what type of exercise you normally do, now is a great time to experiment with something new. Maybe try a kickboxing class at your local gym, download some yoga videos or even just spend an hour ice skating with the kids.
6. Go big
There’s no time like the present to start chasing that big goal. Sure…it might be a little cheesy but it’s true. Is there really any reason to put off training for your first half marathon or setting a new personal record for squats at the gym? Not matter what your goal is, it’s important to keep in mind that these big goals are going to require more effort and hard work than your smaller goals and they might not even be accomplished in a year. Put together a realistic plan for the year and estimate when you expect to accomplish your large goal. If you don’t reach it then or falter somewhere in between, don’t beat yourself up. Pick yourself up and keep trying and eventually you’ll be surpassing even this goal.
Whether you’re shooting for big or small goals, as long as you stick with them and keep working well into the New Year, there’s no reason you won’t be successful in 2017.
Keeping your muscles functioning at top form will make it even easier to reach your goals. Download our FREE QiVantage Day-to-Day Muscle Recovery Checklist.
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