Get Fit Tips From The Top 20 Fitness Stars Of Instagram

New Year’s resolutions tend to start out strong and slowly (and fade quickly) as real life sets in during the first few weeks of January. And while wellness resolutions may be completely well-intentioned, is trekking out to the gym on a grey winter day or avoiding that just-baked dessert to warm your frozen soul really a sustainable way to achieve your fitness goals in the new year?

Whether you want to get more toned, lose weight or just feel better, pledging to make 2018 a year of overall fitness may actually better help you achieve more specific goals. For advice on how to embrace a wellness goal and include it in everyday life, we asked the top fitness influencers on Instagram to share their best get-fit tips that go beyond disposable resolutions.

From how to stick with a fitness regimen, to how to get dressed, fed and motivated for the occasion, Instagram’s top fitness personalities share their tips for making 2018 your best and most healthy year yet.

Make A Schedule
“Create a schedule and stick to it! Figure out your workouts, meals and snacks for each day. Make sure to fill your schedule with workouts you love, and stay consistent! It’s much easier to stay motivated when you enjoy what you’re doing.” – Kallie House, @kal_fitlife

Turn Your Passion Into A Workout
“Find a workout that makes you happy. I truly believe dance is an incredible workout. Luckily, it’s something I love doing.” – James Whiteside, American Ballet Theater principal dancer, @jamesbwhiteside

Commit To An Activity You Actually Like
“My advice for getting fit and staying motivated is to make it something you look forward to. Find what makes it enjoyable for you – that could mean trying different workouts, working out at different times of the day, or carefully choosing who you work out with, where you workout, or even what you wear when you work out. Then, once you’ve found something that works, schedule it into your day and stop thinking about it. You just do it, and it becomes a habit, but getting to that point is easier if you can figure out how to enjoy it.” – McKayla Childs, @helloburpees

Prioritise Eating Real Foods
“I’ve found shopping the perimeter of the grocery store is most beneficial while sticking to lean meats, fruits, veggies, complex carbs and healthy fats. Additionally, combining a workout programme that includes a mixture of cardio and resistance training has provided me with the best results!” – MaryKate Schmidt, @froyotofitness

Keep It Short And Simple
“We all want to get in shape and feel our best. But very few of us have the time for it. Honestly, it’s because most of us are misguided about what it takes to get in shape. Most people tell me some version of the same thing. They want to get ‘lean and toned and feel strong.’ Unless you’re preparing for a bodybuilding physique competition, there’s no reason for your workouts to be much longer than 45 minutes, tops. In fact, the majority of the fat-incinerating, muscle-defining workouts in Dollar Sweat Club are only 24 minutes and produce better results than most hour-long sessions.” – Adam Rosante, @adamrosante

Set (Attainable) Goals
“I’m fascinated by the capability of the human body, so I motivate myself by establishing performance or functional goals. It makes me stronger and more capable. This approach keeps the journey inspiring while also challenging you to be better. It produces a much healthier mental state and better physical results rather than focusing on weight loss or cosmetic appearance. I have more fun and am ultimately more fulfilled when I work on specific goals like doing more planks, running faster or jumping higher.” – Dempsey Marks, @dempseymarks

Make Both Short-Term And Long-Term Goals
“Emphasise the short term. The short-term goals are quickly achievable goals to give you immediate returns; the road to our long-term goal can easily become discouraging. The short-term keeps you happy and focused, helping you to stay on track to get to your overall goals. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals, people with the same goals or interests. Who you surround yourself with will create either a positive or negative effect on your goals. So wean away the bad energy!“ – Taylar Stallings, @taylarmade

Be Confident
“The feeling of confidence in who you are as a person as well as how you present yourself to the world is vital – when you feel great about your health, your wellness and how put-together you are, that gives off an energy that’s infinitely more attractive than someone who just doesn’t care. Don’t take my word for it: there are studies that show this in business, as well as social settings. Taking charge of your fitness can be the portal to taking charge of your life.” – Gunnar Peterson, @gunnarfitness

“Be Someone Else’s Light”
“Just be your damn self. Somewhere out there is someone who needs a role model: They desperately want permission to be their beautifully flawed self, but don’t think they can withstand the $h!tstorm society may throw on them. You can be the person someone else can look up to. Be all of you, and don’t skip the circus freak attributes. Don’t dilute your personality to make it more palatable. Be you. Someone, maybe even someone you’ve never met, needs to see you in your circus freakhood AND circus freak struggle. Your freakhood is someone else’s umbrella in that $h!tstorm.” – Roz Mays, @RozTheDiva

Stick It Out
“My number one tip for reaching your fitness goals is just to stick it out! It’s not the most exciting tip, but it’s the one that’s taken me the longest to learn. Nothing happens overnight, but if you stick to making healthy choices and don’t give up, you will reach any goal you set your mind to!” – Gina Licata, @thehealthyg

Track Progress 
“Keep a journal or take progress pictures to track how you’re doing. You’re more likely to stick with a plan when you start to see and feel results.” – Alex Silver-Fagan, @alexsilverfagan

Try New Workouts
“I know if I get in a rut doing the same workout everyday, I start to lose motivation and get bored. Try new things. Take your workout outside. Try a fitness class. Remember the gym is not the only place [where] you can work towards your fitness goals. When I first started working out, I did everything at home. I filled milk jugs with water and used a chair as my bench for step-ups or tricep dips. You can work out ANYWHERE!” – Danika Vielma, @absinaltitude

Trust The Momentum
“The hardest part is actually starting, but once you do, you’ll love it and momentum will carry you all the way to a fitter, stronger and leaner version of yourself. Remember: Fat loss is a journey, not a race, so be patient and consistent.” – Joe Wicks, @thebodycoach

Stay Organised
“My top tips are making a plan and being prepared. Every Sunday I write out my workouts for the week and the meals I plan to have. I make a list of groceries, head to the store and prep my meals. Knowing what workout I have to get done and what meals I have to look forward to really helps me push even harder and stay on track! Also a new outfit is key every now and then – there’s nothing more motivating than buying a new outfit to get your sweat on!” – Stef Jakubowski, @passionforfitt

Eat For Success
“You always hear that maintaining a fit body is ‘80% diet and 20% exercise’, and I believe your food intake is really that important for a healthy body. I wanted to find a meal plan that I could make a lifestyle, but I didn’t want to be on a restrictive diet, I still wanted to enjoy my food. I tried many different diets, and after about a year found paleo. I now eat a paleo diet 80% of the time, and 20% of the time I allow non-paleo items like a glass of wine. A Paleo [diet] consists of meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and nuts and excludes dairy, grains and processed foods. This style of cooking and eating did wonders for my physique. It is so easy to find paleo recipes online, and almost every large [US] grocery store sells paleo options for cooking, such as sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti noodles, coconut or almond flour instead of white or wheat flour, coconut oil instead of olive oil, and many more. It is really easy, still delicious and filling without making you feel bloated.” – Danielle Grant, @bbgfordanielle

Warm Up And Rest
“Do an active warm-up that gets your body ready for exercise by increasing your heart rate and getting your muscles moving. Stretching right before a workout can reduce power output, so try 5 minutes of body weight movement like push-ups, lateral lunges and jump squats. And if you find yourself sore from a workout, reduce soreness by increasing blood flow to muscles with activities like foam rolling, yoga or calisthenics.” – Sarah Lam, @fitbyslam

Mindset Is Everything
“I don’t think of fitness as something I have to try to fit into my schedule. It is my schedule. It’s the cornerstone of my entire day. It’s my sanity, my clarity, my energy and my happiness. This means I make sure I schedule my workouts every week like I schedule my business. I wouldn’t miss an important business meeting. So I don’t miss my workouts either. I think about how I will feel after eating a healthy meal versus an unhealthy meal. I actually visualise the feeling. When I think about it that way, it’s a much easier choice. I take days off. Five days of training each week is plenty! I use the other days for recovery or self care. This makes the other 5 days more fun. There’s no need to overdo it. Also, I change it up. I lift 2 times per week. Take spin twice per week and do yoga once. Keep it fresh!” – Holly Rilinger, @hollyrilinger

Listen To Your Body And Trust The Process!
“Fitness is not about comparing yourself to everyone else’s fitness journey. Create your own personal story. Being healthy is a lifestyle choice. It is way deeper than a scale, it is being the best you that you can be mentally, emotionally, and physically. Make fitness an enjoyment rather than something you have to check off a list.” – Christine Abramo, @ChristineAbramo

Breathe And Reflect
“For me the only thing that works when I need motivating (besides caffeine) is to stop, take a deep breath and ask myself, ‘Holly, what do you want? What action, right now, is going to serve you best? Do you want the donut? Or do you want to feel better tomorrow? Do you want to stay on the couch, or feel accomplished because you went to the gym?’ This is the only way I can get myself moving in the right direction when I don’t feel like moving in any direction at all. Mindset is everything if you can harness it.” – Holly Perkins, @hollyperkins

Carbs And Shoes Can Keep You Going
“When you’re working out with intensity for extended periods of time, carbs are crucial for fuelling your performance and helping you recover. [Also], I wear any variation of the Nike Metcon for all of my training sessions because they’re hands down my favourite workout shoe. I stay motivated by reminding myself that nothing replaces hard work. Whether it’s in the gym or not, putting in hard work is going to give you better results. You’ll feel better afterwards, knowing you didn’t waste your time and truly gave it your all.” – Noah Ohlsen, @nohlsen

Article by Melissa Kravitz