January usually means a new you, with new goals, new routines, and a whole lot of pressure to change everything about who we were just 24 hours ago.

Start where you are

If you started a new workout program for the first time and the first session called for you to squat 400 pounds, you would probably laugh and say that isn’t happening. Yet every year, most people do something similar with their resolutions. We set goals like “work out five times a week, run a mile three times a week, cut out all sugar from our diet, no alcohol,” all while reading a book a week.

If you’re just getting started again, focus on two to three workouts a week. Give yourself something you can succeed at once life gets hectic again. It’s not lowering the bar; it’s setting yourself up for success. Don’t try to meal prep all your meals at once. Focus on just improving breakfast first, then you can add in lunch-things that are easy to control.  
 
I would go even further and suggest staggering your goals to build success. For the first two weeks, just focus on your working out three times a week, then focus on improving your breakfast choices. After two weeks of success, add in lunch, and maybe a fourth workout per week, or a 20-minute walk.

Find the balance

I’ve never been a fan of the all-or-nothing approach. Those diets and exercise programs look great on paper, but they rarely hold up once life gets busy. Balance is what creates long term success. I would much rather see you working out twice a week for six weeks than six times a week but burning out after two weeks. Balance is not lowering the bar, it’s just creating success.

Balance is also what makes this sustainable. Having a meal you really enjoy once in a while is not the thing that is going to derail your program or your progress, it’s what makes it realistic. When you allow room for food or drinks you enjoy, you’re more likely to stay consistent with the habits that actually matter. I find that when you eliminate things you love, you tend to fall off the wagon. If you plan accordingly you won’t be craving your “Cheat Meal” because you’ve been able to enjoy things all week. It also keeps things you love from being a “cheat” and instead makes them a part of your life.

The same is true with Dry January. It can be a great reset, but if you’re just counting down the days until Free-for-all February, it probably isn’t going to have the intended effect. Be intentional. Enjoy the beer with friends or the drink on date night. Those moments won’t derail your progress; they might be the reason you keep going. A couple beers with friends likely won’t be the thing that derails your progress physically, but it might just be the thing that mentally and socially keeps you going.

Start where you are and set yourself up with goals that will help you be successful.

For more information on enjoying your favorite foods and craft beers while still working on your fitness, check out www.squatsandhops.com or follow along on social media.

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How to Start January Without Quitting by February