My husband and  I have belonged to a gym for many years and we try to go three times a week but life often gets in the way. And after a particularly caloric and cold holiday season I really felt like I was in a rut doing “the same old, same old.” So I decided to hire a trainer once a week to help me not only get into shape, but also gain stamina and strength.

For those of you who have resolved to improve your eating and exercise more in the months to come, I present hints from experts intended to help you meet your objectives.

Several years ago Greatist posted 15 Foolproof Strategies to Stick to Your Fitness Resolutions which still hold true today. Writing down your goals is not only a great way to accomplish them, but your list can also help you figure out the exact steps needed to get there. Making resolutions manageable and breaking them into small steps is also helpful.

Cassie Lambert from Men’s Health offers 5 Hacks to Help You Stick to Your New Year’s Fitness Resolutions. She suggests scheduling a competition for 90 days after the new year. So sign up for that 5k or 10k you always wanted to run and work towards it. And instead of weighing yourself, take selfies at regular intervals to document your progress.

More easy tips to help you keep your ‘get fit’ resolution in 2018 include getting a support system like a workout buddy who will hit the gym with you on cold dark mornings. Can’t find a workout buddy nearby? Crunch fitness trainer Zokai Holmes suggests that you try an activity tracker like a Fitbit and share your data with out-of-town friends and family. Another good idea is to keep food away from your desk and avoid liquid calories.

UK website The Herald presents 7 ways to get fit in 2018 – without paying for a gym membership. For example, check out YouTube for free fitness videos, cycle to work, find fitness apps on your phone and take advantage of these gym-free workouts — a five-minute wake-up workout , six 10-minute workouts or even a 12-week fitness programme.

Dana Sullivan Killroy provides an exercise plan for seniors on healthline. If you’re an older adult looking to establish an exercise routine, you should, ideally try to incorporate 150 minutes of moderate endurance activity into your week. This can include walking, swimming, cycling, and a little bit of time every day to improve strength, flexibility, and balance. She also gives examples for people just getting started of a few of the dozens of exercises you can do to build strength without having to set foot in a gym.

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Written by Sheryl Smolkin
	Sheryl Smolkin LLB., LLM is a retired pension lawyer and President of Sheryl Smolkin & Associates Ltd. For over a decade, she has enjoyed a successful encore career as a freelance writer specializing in retirement, employee benefits and workplace issues. Sheryl and her husband Joel are empty-nesters, residing in Toronto with their cockapoo Rufus.