Ah, January. The presents have been opened, the champagne has been drunk, the ball has been dropped, and now we must all get back to work and settle in for a month before our next big holiday in February. Gotta love China life!
Perhaps you’ve made New Year’s resolutions to eat more healthily or start exercising, but a lot of people, from what I’ve seen, don’t even bother – because resolutions are so hard to stick to, right?!
One reason for this is that they are usually pretty vague and there’s very little sense of obligation. You’re only accountable to yourself, and sadly, you might not mind too much if you let yourself down. One great way to overcome this obstacle is to register for an activity or event that forces you to get fitter.
To take your commitment to the next level, I suggest putting yourself out there by signing up for a new challenge. For example, when you register for something like a 10K or half marathon, you’re automatically pushing yourself into a new training routine. After all, you can’t just rock up to a long-distance run without training for it.
In the months leading up to the race, you’ll have to train and prep your body from the inside out. You’ll focus on eating the right foods to fuel you, correctly warming up, performing the right stretches and exercises to protect and strengthen your body, along with learning how to pace yourself during longer and longer distances. Sounds tough, I know. I guarantee it’s no picnic. It’s not supposed to be easy, but it will bring you up to your race day and help you see your commitment through. And you will walk away with pride and confidence.
Some other events that would fit the bill could be the Tough Mudder obstacle races, a mini-triathlon or a physique/bodybuilding competition. Sign up with a friend if you’re afraid you can’t see it through alone. Adding a social aspect serves as a powerful motivator for a lot of us. If you’re into training on your own, consider joining an online community for people who do similar competitions.
If you haven’t heard about it already, the K2Fit Challenge is also a great opportunity to commit to a fitness program, join a big community of fun, fitness-minded folks and see amazing results. For 10 weeks, participants lose fat and build muscle while following professional, innovative workout programs and a meal plan that features new, creative dishes every week. At the end, there are cash prizes and other great rewards for your hard work.
Whatever your fitness challenge is, start the new year by daring yourself to become fitter and healthier than ever before. Get into it in 2016!
READ MORE: Fitness: The 12 Days of Fit-mas
> Kara Wutzke is a fitness trainer who offers boot camps and individual classes in Guangzhou, as well as running the K2Fit Challenge, a 10-week guided fitness competition for those that want to tone up or slim down. She can be contacted by emailing k2fit.gz@gmail.com or through WeChat ID: KaraK2Fit.
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