It’s time to follow through on that New Year’s resolution for real

It’s the classic New Year’s resolution: this year, I promise to work out/exercise more/join a marathon. Like leftover Christmas lechon, you’re still full of it in January, but by the time February nears, you’re down to the last bits of reheated paksiw. You know what, this metaphor is only making us hungry. Let’s just skip to the list. Here are a few ways to start off your get-fit for real the right way:

Start January 1

Yes, we know it’s still the holidays and it’s cold outside. You think: I'll start exercising when work starts so I can fit it into my schedule. These excuses, however, are the bane of any new good habit. As soon as you start looking for reasons to put off that morning jog, before you know it, it’s already June and you’re already too busy. The trick to making and maintaining an exercise routine is to, as Nike always says, just do it. So soon as you wake up to 2017, get up, put on those rubber shoes and Fitness Smartwatch and get going.

Take A Picture of Yourself Daily

While most of us already do this with daily (or hourly) Instagram selfies and Snapchats, a full-body picture of yourself in front of the mirror is a good way to track your progress throughout the year. This is for your eyes only, so don’t be afraid of letting it all hang loose—if you stick to your routine, there’ll be a before-and-after comparison anyway. When you save the photos as well, make sure to put the folder in an inconspicuous place on your desktop or phone, and label each image accordingly. Some days, just the thought of leaving a gap in your daily record could be enough to get you moving.

Get Used to Getting Out of the House

There are many effective ways to exercise at home even without gym equipment. But sometimes it can still be too comfortable. The problem with exercising at home is that it’s easy to stop and all your distractions are within arm’s reach. While it’s still nice and cool outside, and there’s relatively less traffic than in the middle of the year, go jog around the neighborhood or walk around town a bit. You might find the perfect route you can use for the rest of the year.

Don’t Stop

Missing even one day of an exercise routine can spell the end of it. The best way to make sure you keep exercising is to simply keep exercising, whether it’s raining, it’s hot, you’re sleepy, you’re tired, it’s the holidays, or it’s in the middle of hell week. Find some way to keep moving and sweating no matter what your week looks like. Because the whole point of a new year’s resolution is to resolve bad habits and commit to self-improvement no matter what. It’s a declaration to the unknown year that at the very least, in this one thing, you know you will succeed. And when you do get there, you no longer have to make the same fitness goal—you'll make a new one.