Happy New Year!

Do you have some new year's fitness resolutions? Great!

But did you know that most people give up on their resolutions in 4 months or less?

Here are simple but effective tips to help you stick to your new year's goals when it comes to working on your health and fitness.

Be Specific

Most of us want to eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight, etc., all of which is great! For resolutions (or any goal, really) to stick, it's best to be specific. For example, a goal could be to go to the gym 3 times a week, rather than saying, "I want to exercise more." For healthy eating goals, resolutions could be to eat a healthy snack once a day, or to cook a meal once a week using clean ingredients. Need healthy eating motivation? Visit FB Organics (right next door to RUN+HIKE) where you'll find unique, clean eating ingredients and snacks.

Write It Down

You know that satisfaction of crossing off something on your to do list? Write out your resolutions and place that list where you can see it so you can revisit it for motivation. You're more likely to complete something if you write it down, so write down those fitness goals. For example,

Schedule It

Designate times you will actively work on your resolution. For example, for your resolution of working out 3 times a week, you can attend a weekly group fitness class. By scheduling out time, you'll become more consistent in working towards your goal.

Start Small

Break down big goals into smaller goals. For example, if your goal is to lose 75 pounds by the end of the year, set smaller goals for achieving that weight loss. You could aim to lose 5-10 pounds every month. By setting up smaller goals, you will be more likely to work towards those, and achieve your overall goal in a healthy, sustainable manner.

Find A Group of Like-Minded People to Share Your Journey With

Is your resolution to run once a week? Struggling with lack of motivation to get it done? Join a group of people with similar goals. Not only will you all encourage each other, but you'll have fun along the way while making friends. Join RUN+HIKE's Running Club and RUN+HIKES's Hiking Club, both of which run from May through September.

Celebrate the Small Victories

It may sound cliche, but the phrase, "Enjoy the journey, not just the destination," holds true. Don't become so laser focused on the end goal(s) that you forget to celebrate the small victories along the way.

Remember the "Why"

Yay! You've reached your goal of running your first 5k, or walking outside several times a week. Congratulations! But...now what? You've accomplished your resolution(s), so do you fall back into old habits?

Remember why you started working towards your resolutions. Think about what you want your overall lifestyle to be: do you want to be healthier so you can play with your kids as they run around the park? So you can enjoy a good quality of life as you get older? Reduce the risk of disease and injury? By remembering the "why" and thinking in terms of long term, lifestyle goals, you can stay motivated to keep up good habits after you accomplish new year's resolutions.

RUN+HIKE: Here For Your Health Journey

The right gear really makes a difference when it comes to performance and comfort. No matter if:

• you're brand new to running
• you love walking
• you're an experienced hiker
• you're a seasoned ultramarathoner
• you simply want cool looking, comfy shoes

we at RUN+HIKE can help you find the best shoes and gear so you can SCOUT YOUR WORLD.

Cheers to a happy and healthy New Year!

--RUN+HIKE