New Year, New Excuse 

Every January 1st, thousands of people embark on a pilgrimage to a mysterious-looking building. They enter using an exclusive card and head underground to embark on a life-changing journey. I'm, of course, talking about the "New Year's Resolutioners." The scourge of regular gym-goers, these hopeful individuals walk, run, or waddle into fitness clubs everywhere, bringing big (or skinny) dreams with them.

They expect to drop 50 pounds overnight, add 10 pounds of muscle, and lift heavy weights with ease. "New Year, New Me," they proclaim with a grin. Then comes their first workout. These folks often have no idea what to do or where to start. They hop from machine to machine, using weights that are way too heavy or way too light, and perform odd-looking movements with sometimes downright dangerous form. They leave the gym sweaty and smiling, their dreams growing faster than they can walk. Then comes the next morning. They are sore in places they didn’t know existed, more exhausted than ever before, and, to make matters worse, they didn’t even drop a single pound! The truly weak give up here. Others hold out until later in the evening. But of course, it's raining outside, so they push off hitting the gym to the next day, which ends up being New Year’s a full year later. So, how can you really stay consistent and reach those goals?

The first step is to put those big expectations in the back of your mind. Those pounds aren't going to disappear overnight. While it's motivating to imagine yourself as fit as can be, it will be demotivating when progress seems invisible for weeks or months on end. Set easily trackable targets for yourself, rather than using the mirror as your guide. Lose 2 pounds this week. Do 2 extra reps on each set. These aren’t so much goals as progress checks, enabling you to see the progress from week to week. And when you finally do see the progress in the mirror, it will be worth the wait.

The next step is to maintain extreme consistency until your routine becomes routine. For the first few months of your fitness journey, make it a rule that you must not miss a single scheduled session, except for emergencies. Even if you are too sore to do an intense workout, which will often be the case, at least go on the treadmill for a few minutes to build the habit. One of my clients just does his scheduled workout with little to no weight if he is too sore. He mentioned to me that it is these workouts that enable him to push himself. "I know I have to go to the gym anyway, no matter how sore I am, so if I’m not sore, I always end up training hard."

Once you have trackable goals and a consistent mindset, you can build a routine that will actually enable you to hit those big goals. Stick to exercises that you can gradually progress on with more weight or reps, try to hit the muscles you want to grow twice or more a week, and train hard. You should really be pushing yourself to a noticeable degree, sweating a bit, and leaving the gym feeling like you worked hard. Soreness after sessions is an indicator that something happened, but a better indicator is if you get stronger over time. Lots of people would rather have someone else do the thinking for them. Personal trainers and diet coaches are like gambling in a casino: Some people win big, but most end up with nothing to show for their time, money, and energy. If you go for a coach, make sure they follow the above principles. YouTube is similar, but there is so much conflicting information that you might leave more confused than when you started. If you do go this route, pick one person, stick with their advice for at least a few months, then assess your progress. If you’ve been making small, steady progress, keep at it. If not, switch to a different routine and stick with it for a few more months.

You’ll make more progress consistently following an imperfect routine than hopping around.

Obviously, I do offer coaching, diet plans, and general advice, but if you follow these general rules, you should be fine. Hatzlachah on your journey to a healthier you!

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Moshe Orbach was born and bred in Kew Gardens Hills. Moshe is a product of our yeshivah system and yearns to give back to his community. Fitness and health are Moshe's longtime passions. He wants everyone to lead their daily life energized and aware of their body's potential, no matter their age. Moshe can be reached for personal training, diet plans, and more at (917) 217-9271.