The new year is often a time of reflection and renewal. Not to mention this January, we are also kicking off a new decade! Now is the time to think about how you want the next 10 years to go. Setting goals (at any time of the year) is always a sure way to make a real change in your life. Whether that’s professionally, physically or otherwise, it can always be a challenge to stick to your goals. We sat down with our top social influencers—known as the #FitSquad24—to hear how they stick to their goals and their advice for making impactful change.

Bryan Burke | @BryanBurkeFitness

What is your 2020 resolution?

My 2020 resolution is to read a minimum of 10 books. Growing up, reading was my worst subject. I remember I was at a fourth-grade level in the sixth grade. I didn’t like it at all! My parents told me that reading is very important and used every day, so I cannot just not do it. Boy, were they right! Books are condensed versions of people’s experiences with all the boring parts taken out. They are fast tracks to knowledge and other people’s findings. Instead of having to experience every scenario, I can just read what other people have done and either avoid it or try it myself. Anyway, I was enrolled into a reading program, which brought me up to the correct reading level, but that didn’t change the way I felt about it. To this day, reading is not my strong suit. It takes me a long time to read an entire book, so I know this resolution is going to be a challenge for me but it is achievable. I never thought I’d be able to do half the stuff I can do in the gym, but I took the challenge and surprised myself, so I’m certain I can do the same with this resolution. When choosing your 2020 resolution, be sure to choose something that will be uncomfortable at times but will yield a positive change in your life.

What was your 2019 resolution, and were you able to stick to it? Why or why not?

My 2019 resolution was to always take the stairs. No matter where I was, if there were stairs available, I would carry myself up them instead of taking the elevator or escalator. I accomplished this for the most part. There were a few places that only had escalators. I guess they figured they become stairs if they break down. In the past, I have told myself that I am going to get a six-pack or gain x number of pounds, but I found myself, like most others, not working toward those come February. So last year, I chose something that I knew I could do but there wasn’t so much pressure to do it. My point is that your goal doesn’t have to change your life dramatically. Start with something small and watch it snowball into a full-blown personal training program with 24 Hour Fitness.

What do you do when you feel like quitting or have a lack of motivation?

I remind myself how much fitness has changed my life. Yes, I have become more physically fit, but I am referring to my mentality. Fitness gives you the confidence you need to push yourself to do things you never thought you could. In the gym, when you achieve a goal you never thought you would be able to achieve, you start asking yourself, “Could I go ask my boss for that promotion?” “Am I capable of asking that girl/guy out?” And you subconsciously remember, “I didn’t think I could run a mile under six minutes, but I did that” or “I never thought I was capable of bench pressing my body weight, but I did that, too.” And you take the risk! You ask your boss for that promotion or whatever the situation is. So when I feel like quitting, I remember how much fitness has given me and I just need to keep pushing for more.

Do you have any advice for 24 Hour Fitness members who are using the new year to kick off their fitness journey?

Set S.M.A.R.T goals. This means they need to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. “I want to lose weight” is a great goal, but “I want to lose 50 pounds by December 2020” is 100 times better! Once you have a goal, break it down into smaller goals that you can use as benchmarks. Losing 50 pounds in a year is achievable, but you wouldn’t only weigh yourself in January and then December. If you break down 50 pounds into 12 months, that’s 4.16 pounds per month. Each month, you can then check in with yourself and make changes as needed to continue progressing. These check-ins also give you that boost of motivation you need for the upcoming month!

Caitlin O’Connor and Steven Duncan | @caitlin__oconnor and @sduncan_art

What is your 2020 resolution?

CO: My 2020 resolution is to appreciate my mind, body and spirit more—to stop being so critical of myself. I’d like to learn to be present in the moment and practice living in gratitude for the things I have in my life. I hope 2020 brings “2020 vision” and a new lens of discernment to my heart.

SD: My 2020 resolution is to start a new decade with a clear goal on my art. I’ve sold so many commissions over the past year, and I enjoy bringing the visions of my clients to life, but in the new year, I want to create things for myself [that] resonate within. My fitness goals for 2020 are to be in the gym way more since I live above a 24 Hour Fitness location!

What was your 2019 resolution, and were you able to stick to it? Why or why not?

CO: I definitely got in much better shape physically, so my goals were answered thanks to my partner Steven, who helped me stay on track. My 2019 resolution was to see more nature and more sunsets—I definitely appreciated many sunsets this past year!

SD: I didn’t have a resolution but was looking to better my craft and work on my fitness goals. It’s easy to lose sight of your plan when life can get in the way. It’s important to make your fitness goals accessible to your lifestyle.

What do you do when you feel like quitting or have a lack of motivation?

Do you have any advice for 24 Hour Fitness members who are using the new year to kick off their fitness journey?

CO: There’s no magic number of reps. Take it slow, put in the work and you will see results.

SD: Consistency is key.

Bradley Lock | @video_girl

What is your 2020 resolution?

To have a true clean six-pack. Diet and good healthy eating habits are no joke, and that’s something that I struggle with. I’m naturally “thin” and work out five to six times a week, but in order to really see progress, I know I need to focus and be better about that.

What was your 2019 resolution, and were you able to stick to it? Why or why not?

A bigger booty was my resolution for 2019, and I most def achieved that. It’s not perfect and it’s always a work in progress, but I am pleased with where I am at and can tell (so can all my friends) that I’ve grown leaps and bounds from where I started. #gains

What do you do when you feel like quitting or have a lack of motivation?

Just show up! That’s the trick. I have walked into 24 Hour Fitness many times kicking and screaming because it’s been a long day, but I have never left feeling that way. It’s also OK to take a day off when you feel the struggle, but just get back on that horse the next day and remember that it’s a lifestyle, a long journey and you got this!

Do you have any advice for 24 Hour Fitness members who are using the new year to kick off their fitness journey?

One day at a time. … As a costume designer, I’ll sometimes want instant gratification while working on a project, but I have to tell myself that it’s a process from beginning to end. Set goals, give yourself deadlines and push through. Also, my biggest fear when I started my personal fitness journey was “everyone is watching how pathetic I am” when I first started, and what I have discovered is that everyone is thinking that and no one cares. We are all here in the gym together trying to work to our own goals and no one is paying attention to me. Focus on yourself and what you want and realize that everyone else is doing the same.

Montgomery Nicholas | @MontgomeryNicholasLA

What is your 2020 resolution?

My resolution for 2020 is to put on 10 more pounds of muscle and lean out to around 6 percent body fat.

What was your 2019 resolution, and were you able to stick to it? Why or why not?

To get up early every morning and work out. It’s easy for me to want to hit the snooze button and just roll over, and in the end, I don’t have the motivation to go at night or work long hours, so I end up just missing a day.

Yes, I was able to stick to it. I had to set multiple alarms and even move my alarm clock across the room to get me up to shut it off.

What do you do when you feel like quitting or have a lack of motivation?

I name my alarms in the morning “remember why, this is your time, earn your body.” It helps me when I go to turn it off and see it to get up and not be lazy. I also save photos of people who inspire me and body goals and revisit them when I am feeling like staying home and not going. I love quotes, so I’m constantly searching for inspiring quotes each day to push me and help me keep going.

Do you have any advice for 24 Hour Fitness members who are using the new year to kick off their fitness journey?

This is about being the best version of you! Don’t let people or your mind make you feel anything less than proud of yourself. I wish I was able to tell myself this years ago. I use to suffer from being overweight and as a result of being made fun of (then suffering from anorexia). I let outside factors and my mind get to me and affect me in a terrible way.

Go easy on yourself—it’s not an overnight process. Keep pushing through and take it a day at a time, but be consistent. Love where you are at now knowing that you are making a change. Think of it as a journey, and don’t stress so much about wanting the end result already. I had to learn this the hard way and put immense pressure on myself. Love your body, be kind and put in the work. Before you know it, you’ll reach your goals!

Don’t overthink and compare yourself to others in the gym who are where you want to be. I get so happy and excited when I see people working hard or just starting out and am rooting for them. Don’t feel judgment, and focus on you. You got this!

Video credit: Hiraman, Getty Images
Photo credit: Scott Webb, Unsplash; Bryan Burke; Caitlin O’Connor and Steven Dunkin; Bradley Lock; Montgomery Nicholas

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