A new year is right around the corner—have you set your fitness goals yet? Anytime is a great time to make a resolution to improve your training or try a new routine, but the flip of the calendar is symbolic, and gives us an extra motivational boost to start fresh.

Even beyond living a healthy lifestyle, goal setting is important in all areas of our lives: in our jobs, friendships and finances, to name a few. Goals help us stay accountable, create the futures we want and endure after the “newness shine” wears off.

While the majority of us make New Year’s resolutions, less than 10 percent of us actually maintain them, but that doesn’t have to be your fate. Check out these tips to help you stick with your 2020 workout goals.

  1. Create a plan. Endurance athlete and PHUEL brand ambassador Kalletta Caldwell stresses the importance of establishing an exercise routine that works for and motivates you, like taking fitness classes or working out with friends. Make sure your plan includes a specific timeline to keep your efforts focused and structured.
  2. Develop success metrics. Determine upfront how you will measure progress as you go. Caldwell uses Purple Patch Fitness to stay on top of her racing goals, but you can track your metrics simply by writing down your starting point and keeping a log of how you improve from week to week.
  3. Do something small every day. This tip comes from trainer, coach and PHUEL brand ambassador Ki’anie Brooks. One of the reasons people fall off the resolutions wagon is because they set unrealistic, lofty goals or timelines. If you want to compete in a physique fitness competition like Brooks in 2020, that’s awesome! But pace yourself so you don’t burn out early. You have time.
  4. Make fun a priority. Working toward your goal shouldn’t feel like torture. At the same time, not every day will be easy. Stay positive and enjoy yourself. “Some days you have it, and some days you don’t—and that’s totally OK,” Caldwell told us. “One of my favorite sayings I use to remind myself of this is ‘I’ve never done a workout when I didn’t want to and wished after I hadn’t done it.’”
  5. Add rest and recovery time. After an intense training session, your body needs time to repair and your brain to recharge. Remember, working toward your goals is a marathon, not a sprint. Train properly to not only keep up your motivation, but also to avoid injury. PHUEL is an effective companion product to add to your other post-workout recovery methods. Both Caldwell and Brooks use PHUEL in their fitness plans:“I have been using PHUEL regularly throughout the racing season, and I’ve found it especially useful in the off season as I spend more time in the weight room. I use PHUEL after a weight session, and again a few times throughout the day, and find I’m much less sore. I like using it because I can attack the next day’s workout better.” — Kalletta Caldwell“PHUEL has been a part of my life consistently since I was first introduced. It continues to be a key staple during my aggressive training days and in aiding my recovery post-conditioning training.” — Ki’anie Brooks

What will you accomplish in 2020? Learn more about how PHUEL can help.