It’s important for a New Year’s resolution to be realistic, says a UW psychiatrist. Dr. Claudia Reardon says people often pick goals that are “too lofty” and end up burning out as the year goes on. She says if the goal is working out five days a week at a moderately intense level, start out three days a week and monitor your progress. She recommends buying a big calendar to “x off” days you are working out as way to gauge your progress.
Dr. Reardon says some of her patients admit to feeling “selfish” in spending time working out, rather than being with family or other obligations. She emphasizes exercise is not a selfish thing.
“It ultimately makes us healthy, happier and more available for our other daily tasks.” says Reardon, who recommends involving family members in your activities or getting a workout partner to help each other stay on track.