New Year's Resolution: Add An Extra Gym Day

Most people have these lofty fitness goals, but only vague plans of making them actionable, so it’s no wonder we get frustrated when our all-or-nothing attempts fail two months out; according to U.S. News, 80% of people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by the second week in February. So if you're ashamed about how your fitness resolution went last year, never fear…there are a host of things you can do to stay on track. First up? ADD AN EXTRA GYM DAY TO YOUR WEEK! Just one day. Not two. Not three; you do not want to bite off more than you can chew.

So why aren’t we more successful at keeping our New Year’s resolutions? For many, we think too big. Although making your “health a priority,” sounds like a great New Year’s resolution, it is too broad of a statement. It is too vague. It is too impossible! It’s not a realistic goal. But if you, for example, add an extra gym day to your week, you are now setting an attainable goal; one that can likely become a habit, and ultimately a lifestyle change. Easing ourselves into the modification, instead of making an overwhelming change that we can’t sustain, will be more beneficial in the long run.

In our 2021 blog, Getting Over the Hump, we discussed how a workout plateau occurs when your body adjusts to the demands of your workouts. During a workout plateau, you may start to feel unmotivated, bored with your workouts, or find that you don't feel like going to the gym. You may find that you are no longer losing any weight or increasing any muscle mass. But don’t throw your hands in the air, freak out, get discouraged, or give up. This is just a sign that you may be ready to kick it up a notch, and adding an extra day at the gym, although a small adjustment to your current schedule, will make a huge difference.

Although you are providing your body with extra movement it otherwise would not be getting, it is also important to switch up your movements and the muscles you’re targeting. See, our bodies are incredibly smart and they learn to adapt to stress relatively quickly. So in order to get stronger or improve your overall fitness, you need to challenge yourself. In other words, you don't want to do the same workout moves, activities, or routines at the same intensity every day, especially on this additional day.

You can change the tempo of your movements, increase your range of motion, decrease your rest time, or increase your weight. But if any of this sounds daunting, just get yourself to show up…it’s half the battle and better than staying home on the couch!

The 21/90 rule states that it takes 21 days to make a habit and 90 days to make it a permanent lifestyle change. Add this extra gym day for 3 weeks and it will become a habit. Commit to your goal for 3 months and it will become a part of your lifestyle.

Creating New Year’s resolutions isn’t a bad thing, but we need to do a better job of giving our resolutions a fighting chance. Building better habits can ensure that your goals, and your self-esteem, remain stable throughout the year. If you need the motivation to add one more day, click the button below for a complimentary assessment with a Success Studio personal trainer. We’ll get you going!