Make Every Day ‘New Years Day’

It’s that time of year again. The time when we are all drawn to reflect on a year gone by, and resolve to achieve new and higher goals in the year before us. It’s the time when weight rooms and group exercise classes are all a bit more crowded. It’s resolution time!

Alas, most resolutions are abandoned well before February 1. As student of sports and exercise psychology, a big part of my studies are spent learning about obstacles to change, and how to motivate people to overcome these obstacles while embracing a healthier lifestyle. What can we do to keep ourselves and others motivated to reach new fitness goals (or any goals for that matter)?

There are a multitude of “theories” that attempt to explain behavior and how to change it. Some of these theories are very basic and some are overly complex, but there is one concept that they all attempt to address, and understanding this may help us better create change in our own behaviors. Belief in your ability to successfully accomplish a task, termed self-efficacy, is a central theme in all theories of behavior change. Without belief, there can be no vision of success, and without a vision, there can be no achievement. To create change, one must not only see where they are headed, but be able to see themselves having already achieved their goal! I feel very fortunate to have come from a sedentary background because it gives me an understanding that many lifelong athletes may lack. I’ve been the proverbial ‘couch potato’, and experienced the (at times) painful transition to fully adopting an athletic identity. Most New Years Resolutions that revolve around fitness are terminated because of a lack of immediate results. Constant focus on the outcome (usually weight loss) leads to disappointment, and eventually termination. Focus on the daily process, and implement the ideas presented here to greatly increase your chances of reaching your fitness resolutions.

• Know your ‘Why’ – This step is the most important because when it really comes down to it, the motivation must come from within. We can get motivation from our environment, but we have to truly want something in order to go through the work it takes to embrace real change. Why do you want to accomplish this goal? What does it mean to you? Think about it, visualize it, make it part of who you are. Write it down, and tape it to your mirror. Don’t limit yourself by arbitrary goals, such as, “to lose weight” or “to be healthier”. Go deeper… Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to be healthier? Find what really drives your passion, and keep it in front of you along the journey toward your goals.

• Find the joy – Physical activity is not something you do, it’s a part of who you are.
Embrace it, and find joy in it. Love what you do. If you read Chris McDougall’s “Born to Run”, you know that the recurring theme with the Tarahumara is the immense joy they get from running. When you are positive and joyful, you’re entire posture changes for the better, so remember to carry joy in your heart, and into your workouts. This means finidng an activity you like instead of embracing on you hate because you heard it works. Lots of things ‘work’ – find what works for you.

• Make it Social – This is part of focusing on the process vs. the outcome. Everything
is more fun with a friend! And believe it or not, research is now showing that we are all more likely to behave in a manner similar to that of our online social networks. If all our friends on Facebook have profile pictures of themselves smiling, we are more likely to post a picture of ourselves smiling. The same goes for lifestyle! Surround yourself, physically and virtually, with healthy-minded, active people that will reinforce the behavior you want to see in yourself.

• Register for races/events early – Hand over the dough, and now you’re committed!
Tell your friends/family about your intentions to do this event. You don’t have to share every detail of your goals, just enough so that they are there as a backup to hold you accountable when you fail to do it for yourself. You’ll be surprised by how motivating this can be.

• Document your progress – You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Use of training logs, frequent field-testing, and even pictures are all great ways to document your journey. If these tools tell you you’re getting closer to your goal, things are moving in the right direction, otherwise it may be time to reassess your training program.

In a nutshell, focus on the process, enjoy what you do, and surround yourself with healthy-minded friends… the outcome will take care of itself.


Tammy Metzger, B.Sc.


Tammy Metzger is a graduate student in Kinesiology at UT Austin, and owner/operator of the newly formed Austin-based endurance coaching company, Tempo Multisport, LLC. More information at www.goteamtempo.com or email tammy@goteamtempo.com