Remember your New Year's fitness resolution? Whether you planned on running a half-marathon or simply walking around the block more often, it is likely that your motivation has started to dwindle since the start of January. While you may be blaming yourself for not keeping up with your fitness resolution, it is likely that you just didn't have an infallible game-plan.

According to Drive Research, 80% of people admit to giving up on their New Year's resolution by February and only 46% of adults still stick to their resolutions after 6 months. There are many reasons why you might have given up on your fitness goal for the year: Maybe you became overwhelmed with the time a new commitment required or self-doubt started to creep in. Whatever the reason, there are strategies you can use to maintain your enthusiasm for fitness and progress throughout the entire year, not just in the first month.

Follow these five tips to help you stick to your fitness goals:

1. Start small and be realistic

If you plan to practice yoga for the first time in a while, start with a beginner's class instead of an advanced class with scorpion handstands and crow pose. Doing too much, too soon can lead to injury and frustration. Start small and focus on building up strength and stamina over time.

Focusing on building daily fitness habits can better help you reach the ambitious goal you set for yourself. Creating small, actionable steps allows you to achieve smaller, more achievable goals on your fitness journey, which can help you feel more accomplished and motivated to stick to your long-term fitness goal. The key takeaway here? A smart fitness goal can help you stick to your fitness routine.

2. Write down your goals

Instead of setting a general goal to "get in shape" or "increase muscle mass" be more specific! Set a measurable goal to "run a 5K" or "try a new workout each month." After defining your goal, write it down and keep it in a place where you will regularly see it. Giving yourself a visual reminder helps you remember why you are making a change and what you are working toward.

Revisit your written goal every few months to determine where you're at in your journey and what changes you want to make in order to achieve your end-goal.

3. Make it fun

Fitness doesn't have to be miserable. Try out different fitness classes until you find one that you find fun and interesting; and then keep trying new things. Mixing up your routine can keep fitness from feeling monotonous and give you a little extra motivation to get through a workout.

Music is another fun motivator for fitness. Create a playlist of your favorite upbeat songs to help you get through a run or find a pre-existing calming playlist to help you focus and keep calm during meditation. According to the National Center for Health Research, music can help improve the quality of your workout by increasing your stamina and putting you in a better mood.

If you need more motivation, consider bringing a friend along. Having a workout buddy can go a long way in keeping you motivated and you can even challenge each other with a workout goal. You can also join a fitness group or work with a personal trainer.

4. Hold yourself accountable

There are a variety of ways to hold yourself accountable, and it might take some trial and error to figure out what works best for you. Keeping a fitness journal can help you keep track of what you are doing on a day-to-day basis to reach your fitness goals. Fitness trackers and smartwatches are becoming an increasingly popular way to remain accountable in your fitness journey as they can provide you with workout data and reminders throughout the day to keep moving.

5. Reward yourself

Rewards can be a fun form of motivation and can take a variety of different forms. Create a spa day for yourself and relax your sore muscles with a deep-tissue massage, buy yourself a new pair of running shoes, take a well-deserved day off from exercise a few times a week to recharge, treat yourself and your workout buddy to a day at the movies. Working toward fitness goals can be difficult and it's important to reward yourself throughout your journey.

Be patient with yourself and remember that your fitness journey should be fun

It takes time to develop new habits and your current fitness level will affect your progress. Break your ultimate goal into manageable short-term and long-term goals.

Be patient with yourself and allow time to see the physical and mental benefits of fitness. Choose an activity that aligns with your goals and try to remember to have fun along your fitness journey. Developing a plan and sticking to it is a sure-fire way to accomplish your fitness goals.