Picture me this – it is the start of the new semester, in the middle of another freezing, New England winter. It’s gray, it’s cloudy, it’s depressing. You just got back to school from break and spending time in your hometown, where maybe, just maybe, your family was cooking and grocery shopping for you (I think we could all get a little too used to being taken care of at home). You spent your days relaxing and unwinding from the fall semester, and definitely binge-watching Netflix. You worked so hard last semester, you earned a break! But now you are trying to get back into the swing of things, starting your new classes, going back to work or internships, reintroducing yourself to being on your own. Somehow your health and wellness has taken backseat to all the other tasks you need to accomplish. You barely have enough time to brush your hair, let alone go to the gym! You’re feeling way less motivated, with your life moving at such a fast pace, and cold, gloomy, winter weather every. single. day.
Trust me, if you are feeling this way, you are SO not alone. Getting back into a groove can be difficult, and finding time for your health and fitness seems almost impossible. I know I’m guilty of it – I will put off buying groceries for as long as possible, and eat a microwave pizza for every meal if I’m feeling overwhelmed. However, it is important to make your well-being a priority, and work health habits into your daily routine. The best way to accomplish this? Setting new goals. I know, super cheesy. But I have always found that when I have something to work towards, it keeps me motivated and on track. Here’s some tips on how to set new health and fitness goals, and stick to them!
(For starters, don’t call it a “New Year’s Resolution” because, let’s be real, January is just a test-run, and it shouldn’t count.)
Find something that excites you
If we are being honest, changing your health and fitness habits can be really unappealing. Why start eating healthier, when you can just not? I get it. That’s why setting a goal that you are excited about can make changing your habits much easier. If you hate running, don’t make it your goal to run a half marathon next year. If you love apples, but hate oranges, don’t try to eat more fruit by buying more oranges. Find what you enjoy, and set goals accordingly. For example, my favorite form of exercise is strength training. When I set goals surrounding that, I find that I go to the gym a lot more consistently, AND I truly get excited to go. But if you asked me to run a 5k everyday, I would simply never leave my couch. It’s a lot easier to motivate yourself when you are actually enjoying what you are doing.
Start small, and work your way up
When setting goals, it is crucial to start with smaller tasks, and work your way up to bigger changes. If you try to totally alter your life right off the bat, I can almost guarantee you will give up in a week. I know I would. But if you start with making small changes and getting used to it, the big adjustments won’t seem so drastic. If your end goal is to eat 4 servings of vegetables in a day, start by incorporating one serving, once a day. This goal is a much more manageable change to make to your diet. Once you’re used to it, you can add another serving, and keep repeating , until you have reached your end goal. Having these small victories make lifestyle changes way easier, and way less intimidating.
Make it routine
When you set your goals, make it something that you can accomplish every day. Making a new task a daily habit will help keep you on track and motivated. Plan ahead, and set aside time each day to meet your goal. Let’s say you want to walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes every day. You set aside a time each day to go to the gym, and get it done. Make a playlist you really like, or throw on a good podcast to get yourself through it. After a few days, it will start to feel about as routine as brushing your teeth. I would bet that over time, you’ll start getting excited to go. And every day, you’ll feel more and more accomplished when you complete your routine tasks. 
Be kind to yourself
You know it, I know it, everyone knows it – BEING A COLLEGE STUDENT IS HARD! We are under a lot of stress with classes, homework, studying, clubs, sports, jobs, fellowships, internships, friends, feeding ourselves, sleeping, staying alive, and so on and so forth. I once spent three days straight in the library during finals week, crushing Redbull, and reading until it felt like my eyes were going to fall out of my head (I do not recommend this study tactic). Do you think I made it to the gym during that time? Absolutely not. And not to mention the added stress of the global pandemic we are currently experiencing! Let me be the first to tell you, it is okay if you fall off track. You should never be ashamed of having to start over because your life got stressful. The earth will continue to spin on its axis, I promise. Don’t beat yourself up, I can guarantee that you’ll find your way back to your goals eventually.
It’s a new year, and a new semester, why not set some new goals? Remember, every change you make towards bettering your health is a good change, no matter how big or small. And if no one else will support you, I’ll be your cheerleader.
Remember to stay up to date on our facilities’ COVID-19 guidelines, and keep practicing social distancing and wearing a mask when on campus. You can make facility reservations through IMLeagues.com/uri, 24 hours in advance. It is most important to keep yourself and others safe!
Let me know what your goals are in the comments below.
Hi! My name is Emma, and I am a junior Communications and Writing student from Long Beach Island, New Jersey. I am so excited to be working with Campus Recreation this semester, and writing blogs for InsideRec! Becoming a part of the team has given me the opportunity to grow as a writer, and share my experiences with the URI community. In the summers, I am an ocean lifeguard, so health and fitness have always been a passion of mine. Besides going to class, I work in Narragansett, spending time with friends and family is important to me..