New research shows that no matter how big or small your New Year’s Resolutions may be, about 80 percent of people will give up on their goals by the second week of February. 

There are a number of factors that may contribute to this drop off. Whether we are creating goals that are too difficult to measure, giving up on creating new habits (which take a lot of time and consistency), or simply setting expectations that are much too high (like making too many goals at once), the trick is to take a step back rather than giving up all together. Reassess what you need to do in order get back on track, and start fresh. 

Creating New Exercise Habits

In his book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg talks about how creating the habit of exercising every day is something called a “Keystone Habit”. It’s one healthy habit that automatically paves the way for other healthy habits to fall into place naturally. Research has found that when people start exercising every day, they’re more likely to quit smoking, drink less alcohol and caffeine, and make an effort to eat healthier foods. Just by focusing your energy on this one component of health (exercising regularly) will help you to reach other health goals with less effort. 

Many gyms and recreation centers are still closed, so what are the best ways to keep up with your exercise routine and stick to your New Year’s goals? Here are some helpful ideas. 

The Best At-Home Workout Ideas

Get outside

Sometimes finding a simple workout to start at home means starting with the opposite - walking outside your front door. The concept of a Couch to 5k Plan is to start small and slowly, and build your way up to longer stretches of jogging gradually. There are a number of apps now that you can download that will easily coach you through these sessions so that you can start a new jogging routine with little effort.

Get online

Looking to kick it up a notch with more intense workouts? Many gyms are offering virtual classes, but there also are plenty of new fully online programs emerging. Here are some great ones to try: 

• Alo Moves - offering weekly workouts of yoga and Pilates, as well as meditation classes
• Beachbody On Demand - multiple options for a variety of exercise programs (try Core de Force for a mixed martial arts no-equipment-needed cardio plan)
• Fit Girl's Guide - awesome for beginners, this program is all about learning how to love yourself while you get strong, and at the same time foster a strong and encouraging online community
• Love Sweat Fitness - combining strength and cardio training for any fitness level 
• E.F.F.E.C.T. Fitness - high-intensity workout to awesome music (boot-camp-style)

Get creative

Can’t get to your gym to lift weights? Use jugs of water or cans of food as dumbbells. Experiment with bodyweight exercises since they don’t require any extra equipment (and they are still plenty challenging). If it snows outside, lace up your boots and shovel everyone’s driveway on your street. Better yet, challenge a friend or partner to shovel the other side and see if you can beat each other. 

These days, it’s more important than ever to get your exercise plan off to the right start - even while staying home as much as possible. The best way to keep up with your goals is by creating consistency (a regular habit), a community or friend to support you (even if it’s online!), and making small changes to keep moving forward.