Reasonable goals, proper planning and using technology to support those goals can help turn that fresh start into an ongoing routine, experts said.
“I think oftentimes people have grand resolutions and don’t always stick with them because they may be a little out of reach,” said Jackie Brockman, executive director of the Fairborn YMCA.
“I think taking that first step to make that commitment for something that’s a realistic goal is important.”
Once you’ve got the goal picked out, the next move is planning steps for making that happen.
“Early preparation and early planning is often the key to success for, not just New Year’s resolutions, but any kind of goal you want to reach,” said Dr. Fadi Tayim, director of the Brain Mapping Center at the Premier Health Clinical Neuroscience Institute.
“For New Year’s especially, starting to plan six to eight weeks earlier, depending on what the goal may be, is not a bad idea.”
People also don’t have to start right on New Year’s Day but can commit to making a plan and starting later in the new year.
For those interested in fitness, the YMCA is offering a sale on membership that comes with no initial fee and no contracts. For more information, visit daytonymca.org/join-y-today.
“Those sales run through the end of January, but with that, we have lots of opportunities to get you involved in some great activities,” Brockman said.
Free group exercise classes can help you get on and stay on track, she said. The YMCA also has personal trainers, and pricing for those training sessions can be found on the YMCA’s website. The YMCA also offers fitness and nutritional counseling, Brockman said.
In the different classes, members can get connected with each other and help hold each other accountable.
The YMCA has a Move2Lose program coming up in February that is open for registration right now.
Move2Lose is a 10-week program to help participants lose weight and reach their fitness goals. Participants will exercise twice a week with a certified trainer for 10 weeks. They also get five nutrition classes, exercises catered to your specific needs and abilities, as well as a variety of take-home exercises and team support.
“We’ve just seen some amazing success with programs like that,” Brockman said.
Making micro adjustments in your routine can also help you accommodate the work you need to do in order to achieve your goal.
“You can really make these kinds of small, incremental changes now that can lead to big changes in the future,” Tayim said.
Using technology can also help keep you accountable, such as using an app to track workouts and progress or using artificial intelligence like ChatGPT to set up a work out or meal plan.
“We’re in an amazing, technological marvel era where we have at our fingertips these kinds of constant guides and motivation in the form of technology,” Tayim said.
People who have goals other than fitness, such as learning how to cook, can also utilize AI to help come up with easy meal plans that fit your needs.
A support system of friends and family can help keep you accountable and technology can supplement any gaps in that support.
“There are tools and techniques available today that can make achieving those goals more possible,” Tayim said.
About the Author
