Talofa Samoa and welcome back to your health column! It’s almost May now. The high of the New Year and the resolutions you made has faded and the past few months have slipped away from you. You were supposed to be at your fittest by now but so many of your plans have had to change. There have been so many interruptions this year; it can feel overwhelming when you think about where you would like to be in your fitness journey. An article that I wrote in the New Year looked at how to stick with your fitness goals. The principles needed to get back on track with your fitness goals are the same, so let’s revisit what I wrote in the New Year.

 1) Assess what you really want this year

Revisit your “why”. If your goal is to lose weight, try to figure out why this goal matters to you. Your thought process could look like this “I want to lose weight because I want to fit into my clothes better. I want to fit into my clothes better because I will feel better about myself. I want to feel better about myself because I want feel more confident in my life”. Your why eventually is revealed to be “I want to lose weight because I want to feel more confident”. By knowing and reviewing your why regularly you are more likely to remember your goal and stay on track.

 2) Bring people into the journey (accountability and support)

Find a support system that works for you. It’s much harder to bail out of a planned workout when your friends are expecting you there. Message a friend that has a similar goal to increase your physical activity and let them keep you accountable. Workout with your family or friends. Find people that will speak life into you and encourage you to pursue your fitness goals. Most physical activity communities are incredibly positive and welcoming and will give you advice if you need it and celebrate your wins with you. Find your people and stick with them.

 3) Make it fun!

There’s no point in picking an activity you don’t enjoy – don’t torture yourself! You’ll be less likely to stick to a goal if your methods to achieve that goal bring you pain and suffering. Find a form of physical activity that you like. There are lots of forms of physical activity that can cater to what you like – gym work, sports, gardening, working outdoors, leisurely strolls, hiking, running, are all examples. Pick one you like and stick with it!

 4) Make it easier

Remove as many barriers as you can. If your plan is to work out in the morning and it’s hard for you to wake up early, set your clothes and water bottle out the night before. If your budget this week is a bit tight and you can’t afford the gym entry fee, plan a power walk on the seawall. If you don’t have an hour to set aside for a workout, do 4 chunks of 15 minutes throughout your day. Physical activity is only as hard as you make it out to be.

5) Sustainability is better than speed

Finally, make sure that you aren’t doing too much too fast. 5 years down the line when you’re fitter and stronger you probably won’t look back and think “if only I didn’t have that extra teaspoon of sugar with my cup of tea in March of 2024 that one time”. It’s true that small unhealthy decisions can add up, but small decisions in isolation are simply small decisions and stay that way if you let them. It’s okay to take breaks and feel in tune with what your body needs. Pace yourself. Try not to crash diet or use working out as punishment for eating a muffin. Rest days are just as important as hard working days. Having a treat every now and then won’t harm you greatly. Make choices and decisions about your health that you can carry out long-term, because life isn’t limited to a two-month challenge, life is long term.

Eliana Viali is a physiotherapist and can be contacted at [email protected] for further inquiries.