Fitness forward: The quick fix vs. short-term goals

Making New Year's resolutions is easy. Keeping them going, particularly into the first few weeks of February, is the hard part.

We decided to ask fitness professionals what they advise on how to maintain exercise resolutions when the going gets tough.

In our convenience-oriented, tech-driven, fast-paced society, getting fast results has become the norm, often producing heightened expectations or even impatience.

Yet when it comes to working out, results can only be produced through the old-fashioned recipe of dedication, perseverance, and consistency.

But how does one maintain motivation when it feels like you're getting nowhere?

We asked Vancouver-based certified personal trainer Daniel Maguire what he thinks. Maguire also happens to be a men's physique competitor and model. Needless to say, he knows a thing or two about maintaining motivation.

A common problem he sees is people who want an instant change.

"They want these long-term goals now because people can be impatient. They aren't satisfied with what they have at the time being—that being their body, the way they look, the way they feel. They want the short-term fix. But a lot of times, it takes a long time to build up to something great."

He says he's often asked how long he's been working out. His answer? 10 years.

"This didn't happen overnight," he says by phone. "It's just hard work."

His advice? Make both short-term and long-term goals.

"Some people really want these long-term goals right away but they're so hard to get without starting with short-term goals, like 'Okay, I'm going to start by just going three, four days a week. I'm gonna start by jogging for 30 minutes' or whatever your short-term goals are because obviously you're not going to be able to do those long-term goals right away like running a marathon."

Which makes lots of sense. Thinking too much about long-term goals can be intimidating and discouraging. Short-term goals, on the other hand, help to break down bigger goals into smaller, realistic, and achievable steps that are more mentally digestible.

Maguire adds that writing your goals down on paper can help to track progress and to see it visually instead of just thinking about it.

Another thing he has noticed is that while many people might not initially enjoy working out at first, that may change.

"You might not feel good now but things take time. The more you do, the more you'll enjoy it, and the more your body will start to adapt and change. As years go by, I feel better and better in the gym—I produce more and more endorphins….I get such a high. Obviously if you're out of shape, you don't feel that right away. "

For those who may have trouble being motivated to get out to the gym by themselves, he suggests signing up for team sport, such as soccer or football. Other alternatives include signing up for group fitness classes, such as boot camp.

He explains that the social aspect can serve as an added motivation.

"It forces you, in a sense, to have to show up," he says.

In other words, you don't have to go it alone. And joining a sports, exercise, or activity group can help you become part of a bigger picture, in the same way that keeping short- and long-term goals can help to maintain perspective.

­ More tips and advice from fitness professionals on how to maintain fitness motivation will be posted here at the Georgia Straight website throughout the month so stay tuned.