Sports as a New Year's Resolution: Setting Ourselves Up for Glory or Failure?
By Mr Mark Piscopo
It's that time of year again, when we make New Year's resolutions and vow to be more active and get in shape. But let's be real, by February most of us have already given up on our goals. As a sports enthusiast and counseling psychologist, I know firsthand how easy it is to fall into the “tomorrow! I'll go for a run tomorrow" mentality. So the question is, how do we make our New Year's resolutions to engage in more sports or physical activity stick?
Here are some key points to consider:
No Pain, No Gain? Not exactly. Physical activity should be challenging, but most importantly, it should be enjoyable. The best way to approach it is to aim for a balance of 80% low heart rate activity and 20% medium to high heart rate activity. During low heart rate training, you should be able to hold a conversation while breathing through your nose. Higher heart rate training involves an increased breathing rate, usually through the mouth. This 20-80 ratio is the sweet spot for strengthening your body, avoiding injury, and achieving sustainable positive results. It's also helpful in gradually building up a training load sustained by lower heart rate training and high heart rate training. For example, doing more than 20% of High Interval Training (HIT) can lead to burnout and a loss of motivation.
Only participating in high heart rate training is often the main reason why people quit by March.
Don't Just Focus on Performance and Body Shape Goals. These goals can be motivating, but they can also create pressure and reduce the enjoyment of sports. It's easy to feel ashamed and guilty when we don't reach these expectations, which can undermine our motivation and decrease our chances of gaining experience and competence in the chosen activity. Instead of supporting our journey, these expectations can derail us from our path to self-care and wellness. It's important to remember to be kind to ourselves and focus on the bigger picture of our physical and mental health.
Make it Easy to Get Started. Anything that makes it stressful or complicated to engage in physical activity can drain our motivation. Things like difficulty finding parking, heavy traffic, or having to prepare too much can all be barriers to getting active. Habits are formed when behaviors come easily to us, so making it as simple as possible to attend a sports or fitness session can help turn it into a healthy habit. It can be helpful to prepare everything you need the night before, whether it's packing your gym bag or wearing your running clothes to bed. Yes, it may sound weird, but I've used this trick when I'm feeling demotivated and it helps me just go for it instead of getting stuck in my head with all the reasons not to get out of bed.
Find Your Way of Engaging in Sports and Physical Activity. Do the sport that you find most interesting. Find a way of engaging with yourself and your surroundings that makes sense to you. Consider whether you prefer individual activities, team sports, being in nature, or a controlled environment like a studio or gym. There are so many options available, which can be both overwhelming and liberating. Take the time to try out different sports and physical activities to see what works for you. Many people think they're not into sports simply because they haven't given enough thought or time to discovering what they enjoy.
In my late thirties, I discovered a side of Malta that I never knew existed - full of exquisitely beautiful places that are perfect for sports and outdoor activities. For me, this has meant getting muddy in nature and exploring secluded, picturesque spots. But sports can also give us permission to play again and have fun, no matter our age.
Physical activity can also be a teacher, helping us grow psychologically and spiritually. It allows us to be present in the moment and lose ourselves in the activity. It can also help us become aware of and challenge difficult emotions. In fact, I've had some of my most meaningful insights during long runs. Physical activity can also increase our ability to tolerate and handle negative emotions, and stay with suffering even when we feel like giving up.
Let’s not forget the feeling of accomplishment that comes after completing a run or cross-fit session. It's a great way to boost our confidence and self-esteem.
On a more spiritual level, sports can help us connect to something greater than ourselves. This can be through activities like taking care of nature, reducing plastic waste, or supporting organizations that help vulnerable populations. Physical activity can be so much more than just a way to get in shape if we take the time to find our own way of engaging with it.
Sports can be so much more than just physical activity. It can connect us to others, our communities, and ourselves, and they can be an important part of our self-care and wellness journey. So let's make sports a part of our New Year's resolution and set ourselves up for success, rather than failure.
This article is based on my research done in part fulfilment for a Masters in Sports and Exercise Psychology funded by the Malta Sports Scholarships Scheme.
