Nine Things to Remember on Your Fitness Journey

It’s a new year, and hopefully you haven’t given up on your New Year’s resolutions just yet—especially if they’re fitness- and health-related goals. But if you’re losing steam or motivation, or are just unsure where to go from here, we asked some Instagram fitness influencers to share the best fitness advice they’ve received or have to give based on their own fitness journeys.

Here are nine things to keep in mind, whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or you’re already in it to win it.

Every body is different

“Every body is different; listen to your body.” –Karin Hart

“Don’t follow the crowd. Find what works best for you, individually! Every person has a different to story to tell and you should never gauge your progress on anyone other than yourself.” –Danitza Freigher

Consistency is key

“When it comes to fitness, an old Army buddy told me, ‘Never stop.’ That is the best advice I can give anyone. Consistency is the key to success when it comes to achieving any goal you have in life.” –Christopher Matthews

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Change takes time so be patient and diligent.” –Ambrose Middleton

Trust the process

“Trust the process! There are no overnight transformations or quick fixes when it comes to fitness. It is a long journey, but you just have to stay focused, determined and trust the process! It’ll take time, but it is definitely worth the wait. And do not get discouraged if you are not seeing results right away! I have seen too many people give up because they are not seeing progress right away. You must stay positive, stay motivated and trust this process. I promise you it will all come together.” –Amanda Chu

“Embrace the journey – the good and the bad. The things worth having never come easy.” –Linda Piyawadhanachai

Don’t play the comparison game

“Stop focusing so much on what others are doing and focus on you. It’s easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to others, judging them or feeling like you’re not good enough. We all have our own journey to travel, fitness or not. We all have different fitness goals. And learning to focus on ourselves is a powerful tool that helps us realize what works and doesn’t work for us.” –Austin Lyle

“Do not compare yourself to anyone. Just because it took someone three months to reach their goal does not mean the same will happen for you. It could be shorter or it could be longer. Just focus on yourself, and fall in love with the process. The rest will happen with time.” –Jared Atkins

Find a buddy

“Find a workout/fitness buddy! The beginning is always hard and it is really easy to quit, but if you manage to keep going for a few weeks it will become a routine and it will become super easy. It is always fun to have somebody with you at the beginning so you actually have fun while working out or dieting and feel that additional support!” –Marta Mielczarska

Don’t use age as an excuse

“Do not let age stop you from starting. The only thing that can stop you is never beginning.” –Shan Hefley

What you do inside AND outside the gym matters

“Nutrition is key! As a personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist, I see that many people do not understand the importance of nutrition. They work out hard at the gym and do not see results, and the reason for it is that their nutrition is not well-planned or strict enough.” –Marta Mielczarska

Celebrate small victories and milestones

“Take it day by day. I totally understand [why] people say to check the scale every day (or weekly) and take progress photos, but I take a different approach. I think photos every week, two weeks or month are a great motivation, but I still believe in giving yourself a gold star on your phone, a printed out calendar or a mental note if you did well THAT day. Too often we set goals and slip up for one day and let it all go. So I say, do the best you can TODAY.” –Nikki Sharp

“Take it day by day. Don’t try to do everything at once and get discouraged when you don’t hit every major goal in the same span of time. Progress is progress and I think it’s really important to recognize your development—whether it be running that first mile without stopping or being able to do 20 push-ups. You will undoubtedly thrive when you take a moment to pause and reinforce your growth!” –Julianne of @JulesJetsets

Have fun!

“Have fun and enjoy it. Work out because it’s fun and not to punish yourself.” –Linda Piyawadhanachai

“To any newbies getting started on their fitness journeys: Enjoy the process. It’s a lifestyle, so it is imperative you make it fun. Make it something that you look forward to as a part of your day. Before you know it you will blow past all of your goals ready for the next challenge!” –Christopher Matthews

Photo credit: Autumn Goodman, Unsplash