Start the new year motivated: How to achieve your fitness resolutions

Three questions you should ask yourself from time to time during your training:

• Why did I actually start fitness training?
• What were my first sporting goals?
• Am I satisfied with my physical development?

Be honest with yourself! You often go to the gym and eat a healthy diet, but sometimes you lack the ambition, motivation or strength to give 100% consistently - that's completely normal.

There will always be situations in which your focus deviates a little from your own sporting goals. A new job, moving to a new city or other personal changes can cause you to take a step back.

The ultimate goal in fitness is not to build up 5 kg of muscle mass or lose body fat until you have an absolute six-pack, but rather CONSISTENCY - to stick with it and keep going. This basic attitude is essential to maintain motivation in the long term! Take a few minutes and answer the questions at the end of the following tips so that you can assess your point of view in a self-reflective way:

1. Have a role model
   A visual representation of your fitness goal can help you stick to long-term implementation. What path did your sporting role model take and how much time did it take to achieve this goal? If you become aware of this, it should become clear how much work still lies ahead of you. Who is your role model?
   
   
2. Become your own expert
   Every body is different and reacts differently to training stimuli and different diets. Therefore, you should find your own personal path, try out a lot of things and try to learn to listen to your body. Start by strictly adhering to certain training programs, see how your body reacts and adapt your training to your needs in the future. What have you learned about your body so far?
   
   
3. Learn to love change
   Always be open to new things! Out of convenience, many people stick to the same training program and the same nutritional composition for years, but in doing so you rob yourself of your own potential! The body gets used to the situation and lacks new stimuli. When was the last time you completely changed your training?
   
   
4. Nutrition is your friend
   Nutrition plays an important role, because only through a customized diet can you achieve your athletic fitness goals. Especially at the beginning of your athletic career, you should invest about twice as much time per week in eating right as you invest in physical training. How many calories should you consume if you want to build muscle? What changes in the diet? Are you already a nutrition expert?
5. Mental warm-up
   In professional sport, people talk about the psychology of sport. The mental component is still largely neglected today. Willpower moves mountains! Keeping a training log, before and after pictures, listening to motivating music and watching training videos can inspire you to new heights. All of this can determine how much you focus on training. What does your current "mental warm-up" look like?
6. Set specific goals
   You should describe your goals as precisely and specifically as possible. Whether you want to build more muscle or lose body fat, you should always have a number and a time frame in mind by which you want to achieve your goal. Maybe you'll even achieve it faster than you expected? Whether it's a competition, an upcoming vacation, a photo shoot, or the goal of declaring war on your own discomfort, specific goals with a set deadline will keep you motivated. What is your specific goal?

Stay with it and don't lose sight of your goal! Fitness is a journey and every little step forward brings you closer to your personal milestones. Even if you lose your momentum, remember: It's not about being perfect, it's about being consistent. Take the time to answer the questions honestly and use the insights to continually adapt your path.

The new year offers you the perfect opportunity to start with fresh motivation and clear focus. Set realistic resolutions, enjoy the process and enjoy the progress - step by step. Remember: the most important step is always the one you take today.

Get training and good luck in implementing your resolutions!