Did your New Year’s Resolution revolve around weight loss? According to researchers at Scranton University, starting a new diet is statistically the most popular way to start the New Year, yet around 60 percent of people quit within the first month. So if you haven’t yet quit the diet that you started on January 1, you are part of an elite club. To salvage your resolution, you’ll need a real game-changer. Enter boxing. Here are three ways to lose weight with boxing and meet your weight loss goals this year.

1. Buy a “Boxercise” video and train at home

Boxing workouts, otherwise known as “Boxercise”, is a type of get-fit class aimed at people who want to release aggression and shape up without getting punched. Boxercise classes teach moves inspired from actual boxing moves without any actual fighting. If actual boxing sounds scary, relax; Boxercise is safe, fun and rewarding. There are thousands of videos you can buy or stream and many free videos on YouTube to get you started. Using a Boxercise video lets you avoid the packed gyms, save money, and release your aggression from the comfort of your own home.

2. Join a Boxercise class and make friends

Recent research by the Virgin Active health club chain showed that two-thirds of people are more likely to push themselves harder when they exercise with a friend. Many people struggle to form lasting friendships in large, anonymous classes where no one interacts and everyone keeps to themselves. But Boxercise classes are different. Boxercise gets you exercising in pairs and small groups, meaning that you’ll go home from every class having had at least some face-to-face contact. As Boxercise classes do not involve any actual striking, they provide a remarkably safe and fun way to relieve stress and beat tension while meeting new people.

3. Join a novice boxing class

Contrary to popular belief, newcomers are welcome to attend novice boxing classes even if they lack experience. While a Boxercise class would be more common for someone who has no interest in actual fighting, there are many small, fun and safe boxing classes that gladly welcome newcomers. The greatest fear that people have is the pain, but ironically this is one of the reasons that boxing can be life changing for people brave enough to put on a pair of gloves. Boxing builds strength, fitness and confidence like no other sport, and the weight loss, while swift and dramatic, is simply a by-product of the training. According to the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services, all forms of exercise are safe if conducted by a qualified trainer, even novice boxing classes.

Boxing is one of the fastest and most effective ways to drop the pounds. It provides an intense, exhilarating way to increase your fitness levels while working towards your target weight. If you’re looking to get your fitness goals back on track, hopefully the three ideas above will help.