Workout Resolutions: 3 Easy Ways to Get Fit (& Your Glow On)

Every New Year, you swear you’re going to get in shape, only to find your motivation petering out right about now. Here, a one-time workout hater shares how she keeps her workout resolutions — and it’s got nothing to do with motivation.

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Every New Year is the start of new beginnings — new goals, new plans, new experiences. One of the most popular (if not THE most popular) goal is fitness-related. Everyone wants to get in better shape, lose a few pounds, run just a little bit faster. Working out is one of my passions but trust me, it was NOT before. I’ve literally gotten into fights with my boyfriend when he tried to make me work out. It took me finding Crossfit and lifting to really find my groove and enjoy working out.

Working out is beneficial on all levels. We all want to look and feel confident, but fitness isn’t all about bathing suits and six-packs. Getting your sweat on at least three times a week is a great boost for both your body and mind, and on top of that there are also skin benefits too. Hooray!

Your blood carries oxygen to your cells, even the ones in your skin. The increase in blood flow helps promote healthy skin cells and flush out cellular trash from your system. Exercise can keep your skin looking and feeling younger, more supple, and according to studies, it may also reverse signs of aging. Who doesn’t want that?!

Finding your workout groove can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are my tips for making your workout resolutions come true in 2018.

1. Don’t follow the hype; find what you enjoy

My #1 biggest tip to sticking to a workout routine is finding something you love doing. I HATE cardio. And the new thing on Instagram is women doing all of these ridiculous cardio exercises that I never in a million years want to do. I do not like running. I do not like kickboxing. I barely tolerate Crossfit, but that’s because there’s lifting involved and there’s only cardio for like 20 minutes max. So, yeah, I don’t do cardio. I know some people might think that’s taboo, but my workouts are infinitely much more enjoyable knowing that I’m not going to the gym to do something I don’t want to do.

Do you like dancing? Go to a hip-hop dance class or Zumba! Do you like being outdoors? Go hiking! Make it something you enjoy, and you’ll look forward to getting your exercise on, instead of dreading it.

2. Make it an appointment

Instead of finding motivation to workout, I schedule my workouts like a non-negotiable appointment with myself. Honestly, I think of going to the gym like brushing my teeth; it’s just something I do every day. If I waited to find motivation, I’d never get anything done. There are times when going to the gym is the absolute last thing I want to do, but I remember my appointment to myself and I get there and do it. And 10 times out of 10, I feel 10,000% better after I get my workout in.

In the same vein, plan your workouts ahead of time. If you go to the gym/head outdoors/go to dance class/hit the pavement with a plan, you’re less likely to not want to go. I have very specific powerlifting programming that I follow, and it has an app where I can track my workouts, rest days, and the weights I’ve lifted. Again, make it something you enjoy and the workouts will seem less like a chore and more of a fun activity.

3. Treat yo’self

Whenever I finish a particularly tough workout, I make it an effort to really “reward” myself. It can be a long, hot Epsom salt bath, sometimes I’ll indulge in a cup of coffee from Starbucks, or I’ll do an after-workout sheet mask. I love the idea on Pinterest that I saw — decorate a Mason jar and give yourself a dollar each time you work out. At the end of the month, you have a sweet stash of cash to splurge on a new lipstick, some new workout pants, or a awesome dinner date with friends.

Do you have any workout resolutions? How do you plan on staying motivated in the New Year? Let’s talk about it!