By Georgie Maggs

As they say, a goal without a plan is just a wish. So, with a new year, and new decade upon us, now is the time to consider what resolutions we want to set, and this year to try not to forget!

What we would like to do differently in 2020, and how we can make it the best year yet, one where we can make a fresh start and grasp the opportunity to better ourselves.

New year’s resolutions are so often based around fitness, weight loss, or exercise. The easy part is setting the goal, the part we all then seem to struggle with is sticking to it and achieving it. Whether our goal is too vague or our ‘how to’ is too strict or it’s simply too unattainable for where we are at in our starting point, our New Year’s resolutions often slip by the wayside after only a few weeks of getting started.

So, with that in mind, here’s a few top tips on how to set your resolutions for 2020 and discover your ‘new you’ in the new year!

Find your fitness love

For me, in the past, the first thing that would come to mind when I thought about getting fit was daily high-impact cardio and lifting heavy weights in a gym… and that just doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. I’d go along to the gym and run on the treadmill until I felt like I couldn’t get any oxygen in, and I’d attempt to lift heavy weights where I’d end up with calluses on my hands that were sorer than the muscles I had tried to work! It’s not really surprising that I’d last barely a couple of weeks of this routine only to fall in a heap and be disappointed with my lack of progress and lack of new-found fitness, so I’d end up going straight back to my old habits.

I also (wrongly) assumed that all exercise has to be intense and that without heavy weights & running miles I’d never be fit and toned. It actually took trying different options and finding what I enjoyed before finding a workout that really ‘worked’ for me.

I wasn’t sure what options I had in Hobart, but I knew I really didn’t enjoy a do-it-alone 24hr gym option, and CrossFit styles really didn’t provide the results that I found aesthetically pleasing.

Thankfully I was introduced to The Studio. I began with Reformer Pilates and fell in love with the endless variety a Pilates class provided.

I always got the three elements I was after:

• • Increased heart rate
  • A great burn in my muscles
  • A much-needed stretch.

It makes all the difference finding a style of exercise that works for you because if you enjoy it, you’ll stick to it!

How to create a resolution that works for you

When you set a goal, it’s important to attach a WHY to it. What is making you want to achieve this goal? What is going to drive you to keep pushing when your motivation gets low? Once you know your WHY it’s easier to plan your HOW and WHEN.

The initial goal I set when I started Reformer Pilates was just to improve my fitness. This goal was way too broad so it became unattainable and wasn’t the kind of approach that I found motivating or measurable. I wasn’t getting the results I was after so I reassessed… WHY do I want to improve my fitness? Because I want to feel comfortable in my body again and feel strong and lean. I knew to reach that goal I had to step up my workout routine. I found my HOW and increased from two classes a week to four classes and cleaned up my diet. I sat down with my diary and found my WHEN and scheduled classes in advance to remove the element of having to think about how I will make time each day as it was all already planned out for me. When I had my classes scheduled and attending them had become a part of my routine, I never wanted to miss a session and it motivated me to keep pushing toward that fitness goal.

Sticking to your goals

The most effective way I’ve found to keep motivation levels high is to celebrate the small wins and take the time to give myself a pat on the back and notice the effort I have put in. At the start of every session, I set an intention, whether it’s to put my full energy and focus into the class or to attempt every progression in the class. It’s always a simple intention but having those thoughts in my mind act as mini-goals and achieving them has become addictive!

Another great way to stay motivated is to track your progress, (no not the progress of your physical appearance) the progress of your abilities. I used to have such limited strength and flexibility and there were so many moves in Reformer that I could only do the basics of. But now after lots of practice and determination, I can do some REALLY cool moves on the Pilates Cadillac machine at the Hobart Studio. I also managed to hold a handstand again and I hadn’t done that since I was a little kid!

Once I started reaching my goals, a passion began to ignite in me to work towards achieving more goals and before I knew it, I had more energy and motivation than ever. My new-found drive started at The Studio in Pilates and has now spread across into Barre classes and Private sessions at Hobart Studio. Not only that but other parts of my life all look a lot brighter too. If you want to set your 2020 goals, the team at The Studio are always there to discuss how they can help you make them happen. After all, 2020 is your year!

Take the first step on your personal fitness journey by booking a class today.