Myth: I made a New Year’s resolution to get to the gym more but now I’m starting to miss some days. I must be the only one.

Answer: BUSTED!

Join the club…the failed New Year’s resolution club! Gold’s Gym recently identified February 7th as ‘fitness cliff’ day – the day when they start to see gym membership slow down after all those New Year’s resolutions. What’s happening? Often the goals that we set are just not realistic. Here are some tips to get you started (or re-started!):

1. Be specific! A goal like “I will go to the gym more often” is not specific enough. Instead, your goal is better stated this way: “I will go to the gym 3 days a week.”
2. Be realistic! Start slow to make some early and quick successes. If you aren’t currently active, it isn’t realistic to expect that you will walk 5 miles in a month. You are more likely to be consistent if your goals are realistic. Consistency leads to achievability when it comes to goals.
3. Write your goals down – in your calendar, smartphone, wall calendar. Pencil in your 3 days a week at the gym each week so it is part of your weekly schedule.
4. Reward yourself. If you’ve met your walking goals, get a snazzy pair of new walking shoes as a reward.

For more tips, check out Get active by starting simple!

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933