It’s February 1, do you know where your New Year’s resolution is? If you set health, diet or fitness goals for 2019, now is the time to check on your progress and potentially get back on track. If your best intentions have lapsed, fear not: Along with Scarlett Johansson’s trainer Eric Johnson, Us is here to help you restart them!
First off, don’t fret if you haven’t been able to commit to your plan. Keep positive and simply start over as if today is the first day of the new year. With that in mind, consider some tips from Eric, who co-founded Homage fitness, a series of concierge gym services, with his brother Ryan Johnson.
Ask yourself if the expectation you originally set is realistic for you. If not, adjust. Especially if you’re new to having a health or wellness routine, it may be the reason you haven’t been sticking with your original goal. “Resist falling into the trap of an all or nothing mentality,” says Eric. “Believing that you need to be 100 percent perfect and focused on your nutrition and training only sets you up for failure.”
Some ideas? “If you’re just starting a fitness regimen, set a weekly goal to go to the gym three times a week opposed to seven,” advises Eric, who’s worked with the Avengers star, 34, for five years. And there’s no shame in starting with a 30-minute workout or an even faster session if an hour is too tough! The same principle goes for nutrition. “Find the appropriate balance that suits your lifestyle,” the pro tells Us. “If you have to cook for a family of four, a no-carb diet may not be right for you. Instead, practice moderation.”
And don’t forget to track your progress, which can be hugely inspirational on weight loss journeys as well as when you’re working toward building endurance and commitment. With nutrition, for example, “whether you count your calories, track your macronutrients, log your food on the Notes app of your iPhone or take pictures of the food you eat, having a system of accountability will keep you on track and give you a reference to look back to in case of any plateaus in your progress,” says Eric. As for workouts, he adds, tracking your sessions will help “fuel your motivation to keep going.”
Finally, relax! New Year’s resolutions are supposed to be helpful to your health, not hurtful to your esteem. Here’s to 11 more months of a happy and healthy 2019!
