How to stay resolved — tips from the instructors at the Paseo Club

The 2024 New Year is here! It is a time of reflection and resolution. We use this season to consider the year prior — assessing what successes we achieved and what areas need further attention and development. 

As we set our sights on ways we want to grow and strengthen, we must plan for how to thrive with our new lifestyle changes. 

The Paseo Club team knows that making resolutions is all well and good, but it is hard to succeed on your own. Many people’s resolutions do not make it past the end of January.

They become too tired, too sore, too tempted, or simply too discouraged. Do you want to be one of those people?

The Paseo Club is a social club in the Santa Clarita Valley with a diverse team of fitness, Pilates, yoga, swimming, tennis, and pickleball instructors. The club has operated for twenty years, supporting athletes of all shapes and abilities in meeting their fitness goals.

In this article, you will find insider tips from people who truly know how to implement positive changes and make them stick — the instructors at the Paseo Club.

Why are New Year’s resolutions beneficial?

New Year’s marks the official start of a new chapter.  

It is a fresh page for everyone to assess their goals and evolve into their best selves. While this process could happen on any day, the start of a new calendar year is the best opportunity to reset your lifestyle and yourself. 

Because everyone else is also making resolutions, you are guaranteed to have some awesome accountability partners to help you attack your new goals. 

How do we make resolutions achievable? 

There are many ways to make your resolutions achievable, but the most important one is to choose goals that you are committed to.   

Often people make New Year goals about something they don’t feel strongly enough about. They do not stay dedicated  — and then the resolution falls away.  

If you love coffee in the morning, stopping all caffeine to kick off the new year may sound like a great goal, but that first-afternoon headache will be enough to derail you. So, you have a little cup to treat the headache… Once you’ve missed the ultimate goal (stopping all coffee forever), it’s easy to backslide completely.  

The fitness industry is another perfect example. Gyms are packed with members on January 2nd who are committed to making their health a priority. A couple of days later, when they begin to experience soreness and some fatigue, suddenly the goal of exercising every day is gone — and the entire health mindset along with it.    

Tips from Paseo Club instructors for staying resolved in the New Year

The instructors at the Paseo Club have years of experience training beginner athletes through seasoned veterans. They know how to help you stay motivated, accountable, engaged, and consistent.

Jen Azevedo, General Manager

Pick a goal that can be broken down into several smaller goals — that way, even when you have a bad day, you won’t feel defeated.  

When you run a marathon, you never tell yourself about the number of miles remaining. You focus only on the one mile in front of you. The other miles will come, but they are separate goals and separate achievements. 

New Year’s resolution goals can follow in the same manner. If your goal is to do ten pull-ups in a row, start by holding your body weight up for an attainable period.  Each pull-up will eventually follow, but you cannot expect to perform ten pull-ups right out of the gate if you can barely do one.  

The 100-Day Fitness Challenge is the perfect setting for creating smaller goals to get to one great end goal! Let’s do this!!!  🙂

Cezanne Youmazzo, Director of Fitness

Choose a goal that is performance-based instead of image, weight, or body fat-based. It is so easy to become discouraged when you don’t see the number on the scale budging. 

When you consider your New Year resolution, figure out your ”why” first. 

• Do you have an event you want to look good for, such as a high school reunion? 
• Do you want to get stronger at your tennis game and minimize how many injuries you get?
• Is your yearly physical coming up, and your doctor told you that you have high blood pressure and/or diabetes? 

Stay focused by signing up for an event or fitness challenge. This makes the goal time-sensitive with an end goal in sight. 

• 100-Day Fitness Challenge
• Greatest Results Transformation Challenge 
• Races — 5k, 10k, marathon, or a team race such as a Ragnar Race 

Melanie Vovk, Director of Group Exercise

Review your fitness regimen from 2023. Ask yourself:

• Were you happy with your fitness regimen?  
• Can you further improve it?
• What changes do you need to make?  

Once you gather this information, make new attainable goals. 

Set goals that are easily measurable. Exercise goals are best if they include a plan of frequency and duration. For example, schedule cardio exercise three days a week for 40 minutes and resistance training two times for 40 minutes.  

Give yourself grace when needed. If you miss workouts or classes because of travel or sickness, don’t try to make it up. Just move on.

Tyler Shaffer, Director of Pickleball 

Create a routine. In all aspects of being active in fitness, tennis, and pickleball, consistency is the key. 

Establish a regular workout routine that aligns with your lifestyle. Build momentum and make progress over time by showing up regularly. Integrate these activities into your weekly schedule. They will feel like a natural part of your lifestyle rather than a temporary commitment.

René Heger, Director of Tennis

First, you must assess the problem area(s). Create a resolution that will help you to address these issues specifically. This will lead you to planned practices. 

If you are a tennis player who needs to work on serves, head to the court and serve 100 balls every day. Volleys are an issue? Park yourself at the net and work on handling everything that can be thrown at you.  

This requires discipline and dedication. But no matter your playing level, resolutions will help improve your weaknesses. Remember, you’ll get out of it what you’ll put into it.

Erik Merrill, Tennis Pro Instructor

Surround yourself with like-minded people who are positive and have similar goals. When you have caring friends, you have a support system that will help you to stay motivated and accountable. You will build long-lasting friendships too! 

One tip is to get your friends on a group text chat or blog and use that platform to encourage one another, hold each other accountable when motivation wanes, and schedule meet-ups for group workouts. Then you can post it on social media and get support from friends and family too. Seize the day!

A bonus tip for staying resolved!

Researchers have discovered a proven tip to help you increase your chances of succeeding in your New Year resolution.

Make an approach-oriented resolution. An approach-oriented resolution is when you state an objective in an affirmative manner that involves reaching a desired outcome. These are resolutions that add positive action and habits to your life.

• I will exercise three times a week
• I will eat green vegetables every day
• I will go to sleep at 10:30 pm every weeknight
• I will attend group training on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
• I will treat myself to a personal trainer twice a week for two months

Unfortunately, many people make New Year resolutions avoidance-oriented. An avoidance-oriented approach is based on what you don’t want to do, trying to avoid certain behaviors or outcomes.

• I won’t gain 10 pounds this winter
• I will avoid eating cookies at night
• I won’t stay up all night watching movies
• I won’t give up on exercising consistently
• I will stop procrastinating on signing up for a beginner tennis drill

Statistically speaking, people who make approach-oriented resolutions have dramatically better chances of sticking to their goals one year later.

Finding support for your resolution

Making new habits is not easy. It takes determination, support, healthy lifestyle changes, and courage. Be brave this year and make 2024 your best year yet!

The Paseo Club team is ready to help you in whatever your plans are. We offer group, small group, and private training in fitness, tennis, and pickleball. We also have childcare for your kiddos at Kids Club, so they have somewhere safe and fun to be when you work out.

Making positive changes in your life isn’t only about working hard. Take time to relax by grabbing a meal or drink at the cafe and visiting with fellow members. You might just find somebody to be your exercise buddy!

If you aren’t a member of the Paseo Club, there is no time like the present to come check it out. Schedule a tour today to learn more about our spa, fitness, court, and pool facilities.