On the first, second, third, fourth and fifth of January, you’re committed — so devoted to making real change. 2017 will be the year you start exercising. You’re going to eat healthier and you’re determined to lose weight. You’re excited. You’re ready! But by the ninth, or January 10, the post-holiday slump sets in, and you’re already feeling overwhelmed.

You’re not alone. By mid- to late-January many people are feeling the weight of too many resolutions, goals too difficult to maintain; frustration and anxiety and guilt come together to leave the resolved more disappointed than anything else. So it’s important to remember this: the start of a new year shouldn’t be the time you try to fix yourself, but a time to carefully consider the simple ways in which you can improve the quality of your life.

The key to keeping your New Year’s resolutions is:

 Start small.

Make resolutions you will keep. If you’ve not set foot in the gym in several weeks, a month or more, it’s not realistic that you’ll spend seven days a week there just because it’s January. Try one class, or purchase a 10 pack of group classes from Atlas Fitness; know your limits. Find your own groove, and start your own habits. Instead of resolving to exercise every day, try three or four visits a week to Atlas Fitness.

Take it slow.

It’s a daunting task to learn to love kale, the treadmill, and water all at once. They’re New Year’s resolutions, not January resolutions. To turn unhealthy behaviors around is a process that requires time and effort. Focus on one improvement area at a time, and…

Be patient with yourself.

You won’t ever be perfect. I won’t ever be perfect. No one will be. In your journey toward a better, happier, healthier you in 2017, there will be bumps in the road; you will have setbacks, brownies, a few too many beverages, a workout skipped. And that’s okay. There’s no shame in falling down. Get right back up.

Find your tribe.

As SE Washington DC’s premier fitness destination, Atlas Fitness is more than a gym, but a gathering place for likeminded individuals who believe in the power of community over competition (Okay, a little competition is fun sometimes, too.), and understand that when people are supported and encouraged to be the best versions of themselves, we all win