How do you keep up the motivation to stay active all year round?

Hitting the gym often lands on people's New Year's resolution list.

In January, gyms sell more memberships than any other time, thanks partly to ads reminding us it's not too late to promise to become the "best version" of ourselves this year.

But by the end of the month, fewer people are hitting the weights, and gym owners get their dream clients—those who buy a year-long pass and stop showing up almost immediately.

So, how do you keep up the motivation to stay active all year round? Honestly, nobody's got a surefire answer. If we did, it would solve a lot of problems linked to a sedentary lifestyle.

For me, it gets a bit easier to commit to exercise once you figure out what counts as enough physical activity for good health.

The World Health Organization has pretty clear guidelines. Adults should aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity weekly.

Plus, don't forget strength training exercises at least twice a week. But what does this look like in real life?

🏃‍♀️Aerobic activity is anything that makes you sweat, breathe harder, and gets your heart rate up.

Figuring out the intensity—moderate or high—can be tricky at first. If you have a smartwatch or tracker, checking your pulse can help, but it's not necessary.

With moderate activity, you should be able to chat without gasping for breath, but singing? Not so much. Expect to break a sweat after about 10 minutes.

This includes cycling on flat ground (up to about 10 mph), gardening, DIY projects, vacuuming, walking the dog, playing with kids, or brisk walks to the subway or work (2.5 mph and up).

For vigorous activities, you can only talk in short bursts, start sweating within a few minutes, and breathe more rapidly. This includes heavy gardening (think digging), power walking, running, cycling faster than 10 mph, swimming quickly, hiking uphill, aerobics, energetic dancing, or jumping rope.

🏋‍♀️Strength training can be lifting weights at the gym or during home chores, exercises with resistance bands, or using your body weight. It involves major muscle groups—legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms.

So, your fitness goal for the year could be: strength exercises twice a week + about 22 minutes of moderate activity daily, or 30 minutes five times a week, or 25 minutes of vigorous activity three times a week, or any other mix that fits the guidelines for aerobic activities.