It has been over a month since the start of 2014, and with every new year comes a chance to make a life-improving resolution. According to usa.gov, one of the most common New Year’s resolutions involves personal health, primarily focusing on losing weight. It’s common to see gyms filled with the new faces of those trying to drop a few pounds this year. The Gustavus campus is no exception.

While there are many people who stick to their personal health resolutions, there are others who don’t continue pursuing their resolutions and go back to their old habits. However, there are more reasons to continue than to quit. Here are some tips to stay motivated and continue working towards your personal health resolutions.

It’s no secret that hard work and dedication are needed in order to achieve success. When it comes to working out more or losing weight, that is no exception. Maintaining proper diet and consistent exercise are crucial to achieving all health related goals. Stay focused through your hard work and keep your eyes on the goal.

One common reason people lose steam in their efforts can be related to the soreness caused by their new workouts. However, it’s important to know that this pain is common, and that it goes away. According to fitday.com, one of the reasons soreness occurs for newcomers after a workout is due to their muscles not being used to the physical strain of exercising. The only way muscles will adjust and get stronger is to continue working out. Making sure to stretch well, before and after all workouts in the future, can prevent increased inflammation.

Weight loss can be difficult. However, it can also be enjoyable. According to Dr. Donald Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic, many people find that they feel better when they lose weight and are more active. One way to help enhance the weight loss experience is to eat more healthy foods. Dr. Hensrud points out that there are many different recipes out there that are tasty and low in calories. At Gustavus, make an appointment to talk to our nutritionist, George Elliot, who can help you create a healthy diet plan, which can add to the benefits of your workout schedule. She can even help you find ways to eat healthy without breaking your budget or outspending your caf account.

Finding friends to work out with is another way to make the process more enjoyable. It makes exercise seem easier, and it opens up the opportunity to do other activities, such as playing basketball or racquetball. This also allows you to spend more time with friends outside of class while being active at the same time.

Setting goals can be a great motivational tactic for losing weight and working out, but can also be a buzz kill if not reached. Rather than aiming to break all the records right away, focus on taking baby steps towards that larger goal, such as losing two pounds a week or trying a new workout each week. This will help the psychological part of the weight loss and workout process, and it will boost your sense of accomplishment as well.

Quitting is not the answer. This is the year to prove to yourself that you can do it. Quitting and going back to old habits will make all the work from this past month and a half a waste. Some weeks are going to be better than others. It’s important to realize that and stay motivated, so that the tough weeks are easier to work through.

It’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedication, but Stay strong and stay committed.