It’s finally 2018 and you know what that means – time for New Year’s Resolutions! Did you follow through on your 2017 resolutions? Most of us make it through the first few weeks or even months going strong, but there always comes a day when we lose sight of our goals and why we set them in the first place. Health and fitness goals can be especially tricky because we want to see results, but those results take time. It might even be tempting not to make any resolutions at all to avoid the potential for failure.
That’s why we’re sharing 4 Dos and Don’ts of New Years Resolutions with you. Hopefully you find these tips empowering and inspiring, allowing you to set some big ambitious goals for 2018 and follow through on them – without beating yourself down in the process.
#1: Allow Yourself To Make Mistakes
Adding an extra cheat day to your week or skipping an early morning at the gym is not going to derail your goals. 
You can’t be too hard on yourself when you don’t follow your schedule to a T. You are a human being who is allowed to make mistakes every once in a while. Learn and grow from your mistakes and let them make you a better person. Adjust your plan if it’s not working for you. You don’t need to give up on your goal because of one or two slip ups. Don’t be disappointed in your failures – use them as fuel to improve.
#2: Let Your Mental Health Come First
Some days you are not going to be 100%. Let’s face it: balancing work, social life, taking care of your family or even just making it to Friday can be a tall order.
Letting yourself go a little slower in the mornings or cutting your gym time in half is absolutely okay. Taking your journey one day at a time in order to keep yourself sane and happy is more important than forcing yourself to meet a weekly goal weight or pant size. Loving yourself as you are is the greatest revolution!
#3: Find a Goal Partner
Having somebody to talk to, set goals with, and mutually motivate is a very important part of reaching goals and seeing results.
Showing yourself compassion can be difficult if you’re going at it alone. Having a climbing partner/running buddy/workout group to help you celebrate your successes and analyze your failures helps you be kinder to yourself when you are off on your own. Self criticism can lead you to a downward spiral, but not if you have a friend or small group to support and raise you up.
And last but not least…
#4: Don’t Compare
Every person is different. Body types, metabolisms, routines, lifestyles, responsibilities – everyone’s path is their own.
Comparing yourself to someone on the cover of a magazine or the person you run next to everyday on the treadmill isn’t going to get you anywhere.You may not even realize you’re doing it. What may take one person to do in a week might take you a month, but that’s okay – you don’t know what challenges that person is facing in other areas of life, so there’s no sense comparing yourself to them on this particular point. Getting to your goal the healthy way is much more liberating than forcing yourself into fad diets or unattainable workout routines to look a certain way. Just because you aren’t achieving the same results as the person next to you in the gym doesn’t mean you aren’t strong, smart, capable, and valuable. Celebrate your own strengths and see your true value.
Let’s make 2018 the year of working toward ambitious goals with self compassion. Now go start your journey!
Looking for some tools or programs at First Ascent to help you achieving a fitness or climbing goal? Check out the following:
BASECAMP Group Training – daily morning small group workouts at FA Avondale designed to help you build full-body conditioning that prepares you for life’s adventures. Book a free trial session to experience the workout first hand!
Redpoint Climbing Training – get a customized climbing training plan and expert advice on how execute that plan with Redpoint Climbing Training. Redpoint begins with an Assessment guided by a Redpoint Coach to diagnose your climbing strengths and opportunities for growth. Your Coach will provide you with a training plan after your assessment that you can execute on your own, or you can book additional Private Sessions or Redpoint Team Training, a small-group training program, to get continued guidance and train with others. Available at all FA locations. Assessments are just $49 through January 31st – book yours now!
Personal Training – get 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 training from an expert trainer who will help you set goals and guide you on the path to attaining them. A free 30-minute fitness consultation is available at all FA locations – schedule yours today!
By Tommie Hill
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