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If your “new year, new you” promise tends to come crashing down around February, these local fitness professionals offer their best tips on making your resolution a habit.
We’ve all been there: a crowded gym on January 1; you’re intimidated to the gills, looking for a machine to set up shop on. It’s hard not to run out of there, screaming, decrying all your fitness goals, and taking a seemingly easier route to resolution. We spoke with four fitness professionals to get their best advice on not only surviving January but thriving all year long.
“Give your body proper nutrients throughout the day, sometimes smaller, more frequent meals. This way you never feel the need to overeat or binge. This also allows for blood sugar to stay stable, aiding in weight loss. Remember, eating ‘off meals’ doesn’t mean you messed everything up and should quit. Life is all about balance. If you fell down a flight of stairs, you wouldn’t get up and throw yourself back down, so don’t do that with food. Just get right back on track and be proud of how much you have already accomplished and will continue to accomplish. Find an accountability partner, someone who knows your goals and will help you stick to them!”
—Jessica Abreu, CIHC, Owner, Core Nutrition & Wellness, Dobbs Ferry
“The New Year’s resolution typically fails because the goal is set too high. My advice is and always will be to set small goals that act as milestones on the journey. Three to five smaller, obtainable goals are what will ultimately lead to the bigger, sustainable change people look for.”
—Lou Fundales, CPT, Manager, The Body Blueprint, Pelham
“Implement habits you enjoy doing or that feel good for you to do. We’ve all done things that felt forced or restricted in the past and have a hard time sticking with them. Remember, it might take more than one try, one place, or one habit to find what you like. But try something else until you find the right fit! Have a contingency plan ready in case what you start with isn’t the right fit for you. This way, you don’t end up just giving up all together.”
—Alina Rendina, CPT, Owner, Fused Fitness, Peekskill
“Find and follow a workout program that is best suited to you. Set yourself up for success and meal prep for the week. Also, 3 to 4 liters of water a day; hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Lastly, progress pics every day or every week. Focus more on progress pics than the weight on the scale. There are so many variables that play into the number on the scale, and it shouldn’t be the only measure of your fitness progress. These photos will hold you accountable to reach your goals.”
—Jillian Salomone, CPT, Owner, Carbon X, White Plains
Related: 3 New Fitness Studios in Westchester to Get Fit and Feel Great
