Credit: Women’s Care

You ate a brownie in the office. Then you skipped the gym yesterday to go shopping. Plus, you haven’t gone on a walk in a week because it’s just too cold or you are tired. You think maybe you just won’t be able to get fit this year after all. Sticking to new year’s resolutions can feel impossible. Most new year’s resolutions last until February with about 80 percent of all goals ending then. However, this year has 12 months. Even if your fitness new year’s resolution isn’t going according to plan, you could still meet your goals by following these tips:

Find a partner

It might be easy to skip the gym if you attend by yourself. However, skipping can feel a lot more difficult if someone holds you accountable. Next time, find a friend or acquaintance with a similar fitness new year’s resolution. If no one has the same goal, you can find a weight loss buddy online. Many groups exist on social media, where you can find friends and hold each other accountable with achievable new year’s resolutions.

Ditch the old plan

Many resolutions fail because you don’t execute your goals with a good strategy. Write out an achievable new year’s resolutions with strategies that explain how you will execute goals. Plan out how you want to lose weight with SMART goals. If you try a low-carb diet first and hate it, try something else instead or add more carbs back into your day. Don’t be afraid to be flexible and change up your plan as the year passes. Remember: never give up on your original goal, even if in January or February, you weren’t sticking to new year’s resolutions.

Reward yourself

Don’t forget to include rewards in your resolution plan. For instance, if you meet your goal of jogging every day for two weeks, get a pedicure, or purchase a small item you’ve been wanting. You can even reward yourself with quality time, like an hour to read a book or a nice long bubble bath. Just make sure the reward makes you feel good about your accomplishment.

Be gentle with yourself

Not every day goes as planned. On the days that get derailed by not feeling well, waking up late, or a stressful day at work, don’t beat yourself up for skipping the gym. Know that achievable new year’s resolutions include failure. However, to achieve your overall goals, you need to be able to bounce back. Don’t focus on failing short-term goals. Keep your original goal in mind and never take no for an answer.

For example, if you don’t lose the weight you want in February, plan out different strategies to do so. Accept the failure, own it, and move on. Also, be kind to yourself and know that you’ll get back on track as soon as you keep going.

Remember your reasons

When sticking to new year’s resolutions, remember why you chose the goal to keep you motivated. Why did you resolve to get more fit? Is it because you want to fit in those jeans from Uni? Or maybe, so you have the energy to keep up with your work? So you have less pain in your joints? Remind yourself of these reasons every day to help you stay on track.

Put a picture or note that represents your goal in places you can see it, like on the bathroom mirror, your computer at work, or on your car dashboard. These reminders will help you make good choices when you’re struggling.

Track your progress

Sometimes, we need to see our progress to keep going. For instance, maybe you work out for three days in a row then skip a day. If you focus on the day you jumped, you miss all the good you’ve done. Find a way to track your progress so you can understand what you’ve accomplished.

You can use apps or even just mark off days on the calendar that you meet your goal. Seeing your progress helps you stay motivated and focused on the positive changes you’ve made.