Tips for Making New Year's Fitness Resolutions Stick

Most people who resolve to stay fit in the new year, lose that momentum by the end of year, according to statistics. In short, they're right back where they were months ago.

If you don't want to be that person, it may be time to make a resolution for that resolution. Either don't make resolutions, or find a way to stick to a plan.

To help, we've gathered tips from local fitness club owner Mike Ross, who leads Lilburn's Snap Fitness center.  The key is finding support and motivation to achieve results, experts say.

"We know that it can be tough to get started with a fitness routine, but there are three keys to success that we recommend to help you stick with it,” Ross said.

"First, get off the couch. Remember in high school when you had an important test to study for? You could either study at home in your bedroom, or head to the library.

If you studied at home, you would end up getting distracted by other things. But at the library, you were focused and motivated by the fact that everyone else around you was studying too. Same thing goes for working out. By joining a dedicated fitness club, it increases motivation and makes you more likely to get your workouts done.”

Once you’ve joined a club, the next step is a plan.

"It’s one thing to want to look and feel better, it’s entirely another to know how to do it and stick with a routine that will get you the results you want," Ross said.

But, while you're doing all that working out, don't forget that proper nutrition is also important.

"You can go to pretty much any fitness club and work out, but the reality is you can’t out-exercise a bad diet," Ross said.

For an individual, this can mean eating the right foods that build energy and burn fat within your body, eating more healthy foods, such as vegetables and lean meats, and eating the right amount of foods with portion control.

Making a resolution to stay fit is just the beginning; sticking with it is the main challenge. In a year's time, do you really want to be making the same resolution?

-- If you have a goal this year to stay fit, let Patch know in the comment section below what your plans are to accomplish it. --

Snap Fitness is located at 375 Rockbridge Road, Suite 148. It is open 24 hours, seven days a week for members. There is a special key card entry and surveillance video to help keep patrons safe.