3 Roadblocks to Your Fitness Goals are:

Three Hurdles to Your Fitness Goals You may be busy with the holiday rush, but the New Year is fast approaching and with it, New Year's resolutions. The start of a new year is a great (and popular) time to start setting health and fitness goals, whether it's eating better, exercising more, or losing weight. But if you start the new year with high hopes and no plans, you could end up like most decision makers: quit by February. There's no better time than now—the end of the year—to identify the obstacles that have historically kept you from achieving your health goals. Once you realize what's holding you back, you can find a way around these  obstacles.

This is the only way to stay on course when major and minor  crises threaten your progress. The  Three Biggest Roadblocks to Better Health Before you think about New Year's resolutions, think about the past year. Which of these three types of obstacles have you encountered? Physical Barriers You work long hours and are exhausted. You've been in pain since yesterday's workout. 

You feel like you've caught a cold. All good reasons to skip your regular workout, right? Bad. While these excuses for skipping a workout are popular, that doesn't mean they're exciting, says Brad Schoenfeld, board-certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning expert, and author of Strong and Sculpted. Admit it: the real reason could be that you don't feel like exercising and you're looking for a good excuse. 

"Sloth is high on the list of excuses," he says. “Sport is discomfort and the human desire to seek pleasure and avoid pain. No matter how fun the activity is, fitness is on the side of the pain. Remember why staying fit is important  to overcome your natural tendency to avoid pain, such as when you are too tired to exercise. Would you like to lose weight or have more energy to spend time with your children or grandchildren? 

Write down your personal motivations and refer to the list when you need motivation. "I'm tired" is an excuse, says Schönfeld. "Everyone is going to have days when they're more tired than others, but you  have to be really careful about what you want to achieve with fitness." You may feel more tired right after you exercise, but as you get more physically fit, you will feel less  tired throughout the day. Over time, muscle building and cardiovascular development will make you feel less tired,” he explains. said Schoenfeld.“Looking long-term: How to avoid short-term fatigue in the future. Even the excuse that you suffered during the last workout doesn't work. Sore muscles after a workout is actually a good reason to get back to the gym. The study shows that light exercise after high-resistance eccentric exercise such as B. Weight lifting, improves muscle function recovery and can effectively reduce muscle soreness.Low-intensity exercise, such as walking or swimming at a leisurely pace, can improve circulation and aid recovery.

 How about another common excuse for minor ailments like a cough or a stuffy nose? Don't let this stop you from training. Instead of giving up exercise altogether, try it at a lower intensity. Drink plenty of fluids and listen to your body: if you don't feel like it, take a day off.And if you have a fever, stop exercising for a day or two. Emotional Blocks When a minor setback ruins your schedule, does it take  a week or more to get you back on track? This type of all-or-nothing thinking is widespread. They decide that regular exercise isn't worth it, so they get frustrated and have to start over. Be kind to yourself and you will find it easier to stick to your schedule.Even if you can only exercise once a week, that's a good place to start, says Schoenfeld. 

“It makes getting back into training a lot easier. If you do nothing,  start over. Doing something is always better than doing nothing.” Unrealistic expectations are another common emotional block.If you're 5 or 10 and muscular, no matter how hard you train, you're not going to get a supermodel physique. However, you can get stronger and leaner. The key is to be realistic about what you can achieve. Another common emotional block? Fatigue.If you're under a lot of pressure, use that as another reason why you should exercise and not jump. Along with prayer, exercise is one of the most effective ways to deal with stress. Studies show that it helps reduce anxiety and relieve depression. Exercise also helps you deal with stress as it distracts you from your problems. You can't focus on a problem colleague when your mind is occupied with squats or interval exercises - you're too engrossed in what you're doing.Studies also show that you feel better after exercising. Not only will you feel better, you will also feel the satisfaction of having done something good for your body. Lifestyle Blockers The Biggest Excuse For Not Exercising?

 You already know: there is not enough time. However, getting in shape takes faster than you  think."First of all, the training doesn't take long," says Schönfeld. "Thirty or forty minutes is all you need to do a great strength workout." If time is your biggest obstacle, set  a schedule. When is the best time  to exercise? Is it first thing in the morning or midday?Or maybe after work is the best time for you? Make an appointment to practice the same way you would  any other activity and you'll be more likely to stick to your schedule. If you are pressed for time, you should think about combining  courses. Instead of going to lunch with your best friend, go for a walk together. Download an uplifting podcast to listen to during your cardio workout or to pray during your morning walk.Flexibility is required when it comes to reconciling family and career. This may mean doing short, intense strength training sessions during the week and then doing a longer routine on the weekends when you have more time. Now may not be the time  to apologize, but boredom has sidelined you. The remedy is to add something new to each workout. "Variety is the spice of training"; said Schoenfeld."Exercise should never be boring, and the number one reason for boredom is getting used to the same routine and doing the same things over and over again." 

Try swimming, signing up for a new class, or exploring routes that you have never explored before. When you hit the gym, combine weights with variations of different movements and use interval training to keep your cardio workouts fresh and challenging. Even doing your usual routine in a different order will strain your muscles and make you think about what you're doing, which kills boredom. Remember that everyone, no matter how busy they are, faces various obstacles on the road to fitness.By identifying your hurdles and knowing how to overcome them, you will ensure that you are not holding back your progress towards achieving your health goals this year.