Along with the promise of a fresh start in 2017 comes the strong obligation people often feel to improve themselves when it comes to health and fitness. But “new year, new me,” is a lot easier said than done, as University Recreation personal trainer Nate Gordon knows all too well.

Gordon, a personal trainer since April of 2013, said the biggest reason people give up so quickly on their health and fitness New Year’s resolutions is because their goals are often unrealistic or over-complicated.

So, apparently committing to working out every day for five hours while also attending full time classes and writing for The Daily Evergreen is not an attainable goal. Shoot.

As college students, we’ve all got enough piled on our plates already, so Gordon said to avoid burnout and give yourself some leeway when it comes to your fitness or nutrition goals.

Of course, even with flexibility, it is hard to strive toward something without seeing significant results right away.

“People aren’t willing to be patient enough with themselves to see the whole process through and give it time,” Gordon said. So patience, young one. Nothing happens overnight.

If weight loss is your New Year’s resolution, it is easy to expect to shed significant pounds the very next day just because you ate a salad. Getting healthy in the real world does not work this way, and Gordon said he hopes to remind those with resolutions that “it’s not just a year-long commitment – it’s a whole lifestyle change.”

Gordon’s advice for creating a fitness or nutrition New Year’s resolution is first to decide why you are starting one in the first place.

“You need to understand the deeper reason behind why you are doing it,” he said, “because once you know why then you have a deeper reason to stick with it.”

So, if you can confidently answer the question, “so why the hell am I doing this?” then you might be on the right track toward a resolution that endures the year.

“I have things that I personally want to focus on this year, too,” Gordon said. “The difference is that I label them differently.”

Instead of saying New Year’s resolutions, a title that most associate with short-term commitment or a month long phase, he just calls them resolutions or things he wants to do to better himself. Simple enough.

Gordon said he still believes health and fitness resolutions made around the New Year can be great motivators for those looking to get fit and live to be 100.

“I don’t think you can deny the value of the certain energy and atmosphere that goes around during New Year’s, and people wanting all of a sudden to better themselves,” he said.

Since Gordon began working as a personal trainer at the Student Recreation Center in the fall of 2015, he has noticed a dramatic spike in SRC use following every New Year. From January to March, morning use of the SRC is always busier than normal, while nights are even busier still, Gordon said.

In the evenings, “almost all the machines in the 160,000 square feet of cardio and weight lifting space are being used,” he said.

But don’t let the surge of extra SRC visitors shy you away from acting on your fitness New Year’s resolution goals.

“The first part about fitness is just showing up,” Gordon said. And we can all do at least that, can’t we?