It's January 2025, and that also means it's the best month for gyms. Many sign up and use their membership diligently in January or start on a very optimistic running plan, but just as many use the gym less diligently or stop running training in the months after. Why? I'll offer some reasons here, as well as some advice on how to avoid ending up as a statistic.
Biting off more than you can chew?
Motivation is sky-high at the turn of the year. 'Now it will be', 'The big lifestyle change', 'Here we go' etc. And that's good, but the thing with motivation is that it also disappears or isn't always as high. I think many bite off more than they can chew and dive headfirst into a lot of training, new diets, and new plans. The problem with this is that when motivation wanes towards the end of January, everything quickly collapses and becomes a bit of a burden. Training frequency drops, diet plans change, and suddenly you're back in the old ways.
Changes Take Time
Changes and new habits take time to build, and it's hard to keep several things going at once when motivation is low. Therefore, I think a good piece of advice is to take one thing at a time and try to implement it quietly and gently. Instead of thinking 'I must run my 5km route in X minutes 3 times a week' or 'I must do 2 hours of intense strength training at the gym', think instead 'I need to get out the door and run a bit 3 times a week' or 'I should go to the gym and train today'. I'm not saying you should be unstructured, but the idea is that once you're on your way, you'll train. And if there's anything that can kill motivation, it's if it's really tough EVERY time, making it harder to gear up for. Once you've built the routine and continuity, the results will come - even if you don't train yourself to the ground every time. Better to train at 80% all year than 110% in January.
Planning
Another good piece of advice is planning – with high motivation there's eagerness to get out the door, even after a hard day's work, but when motivation wanes, it can be worth gold to have planned the times for your training. It just makes it a natural part of everyday life and contributes to the aforementioned routines and habits beingformed.
What does training give you?
For some, training is an escape to unwind, like letting thoughts wander on a nature run. For others, the social aspect is crucial, making hard days easier when a training partner waits. It might also be a mix, each at its time. Anyway, it's essential to feel what the training offers you. Building a habit or routine is much easier if it's enjoyable and looked forward to, not a dreary duty.
