New Year's Eve is tomorrow! If you are at all like me, or anyone I know, you may be thinking of setting a resolution. Did you know that most people (92%) don't keep resolutions.
There are many reason's for this. Some people set expectations too high. Others set goals that are unattainable, even under the best of circumstances. Even more people pick a resolution that they don't enjoy doing!
Here are some helpful tips to help you make, and achieve your New Year's Resolutions
Make a big goal, but set small steps to achieve it.
Reward yourself for your achievements
For fitness goals, pick an activity you actually enjoy.
Set your resolution(s) for the right reason(s)
Ask friends, family, or a coach to help keep you accountable
Don't go "cold turkey"
Schedule your time
Slow down
Make A Big Goal, But Set Small Steps to Achieve It
When setting a goal, or resolution, it is easy to look at the end result and not consider the steps it takes to get there. When you pick a goal, it is important to know that most things don't come quickly. It will take some time to achieve your goal(s). The best way to stay on track is to set smaller benchmarks to achieve your goal. Here is an example:
Goal: Lose 25 lbs
Steps to Achieve Goal:
1. Lose 5 lbs by February 1st.
a. increase daily walking by 2,000 steps
b. add 1-2 days in the (home) gym per week from current level
c. eliminate 1 unhealthy choice per week (ex. soda on Monday)
2. Assess progress by logging behaviors (good and bad)
a. figure out where you are getting stuck
b. come up with ideas to overcome hurdles
c. remember to take it slow
3. Lose 10 lbs by March 15th
a. add another 1 day per week to the gym if you haven't already
b. eat 1 meal per day of only whole foods
4. Assess Body Fat Percentage
5. Lose 15 lbs by April 30th
6. Check to see if Goal is still reasonable
a. are you continuing to make baby steps
b. maybe the goal was too big?
c. reassess and change goal as needed
You may find after working towards your goal that it wasn't the right goal for you. Maybe you leaned out, but added more lean muscle. If this is the case, total weight may not even be the right measurement, but body fat percentage or waist size could be. By breaking the goal or resolution into smaller steps, it becomes more reasonable and attainable.
Reward Yourself For Your Achievements
When you achieve certain aspects of your resolution, it is okay to celebrate (even with something that may be considered "unhealthy"). Remember that change takes a lot of hard work and dedication. This hard work should be rewarded periodically.
The caveat here is that you are not "earning" your reward by working out or losing weight. You are simply rewarding yourself for your progress. It is important to enjoy the process of making positive changes!
For Fitness Goals, Pick an Activity You Actually Enjoy
This is one that gets a lot of people. There are a good amount of resolutions made about going to the gym more often and getting into shape. The truth is that being healthy is important, but being able to enjoy yourself while doing it is just as important. If you absolutely hate lifting weights, then maybe the gym isn't the right choice. There are plenty of options for you. Here is a partial list of options:
Local Gyms
Yoga
Pilates
Boot Camps
Spin (cycling) Classes
At Home Workout Programs
Pi-Yo
Jazzercise
There are too many to list them all, but it may take some trial and error to find the one that is right for you. Most places (especially at the new year) may have some sort of a trial period.
Set Your Resolution(s) for the Right Reason(s)
It is important that you are thinking of why you are setting your resolution(s). The first big thing is to do it for you. Is it something that you want? If you answer yes, that is a good start.
Other things to consider when making a resolution include being attainable and realistic. For the example above, 25 pounds may be realistic and attainable for someone who weighs 200 pounds (maybe not), but isn't realistic for someone who weighs 110 pounds.
Resolutions should be fun. It may feel like work at the beginning. After a short period of time, you shouldn't feel like you are working or increasing your stress levels to attain it.
Put some thought into your resolutions to make sure they fit what you are looking for!
Ask Friends, Family, or a Coach to Help Keep You Accountable
The easiest way to stay on track is to have someone help you be accountable. You can find a gym or running partner that is just as motivated as you. You can join a facebook group that shares interests with you. Maybe work with your spouse or significant other to help you find a schedule that helps you fit time in for you to achieve your goals. Your partner can also help you identify if the goal is a good one for you.
Health, Fitness, and Nutrition coaches can also help you to keep accountable and will serve as guides for you. These professionals can help you make small changes over time to achieve big results.
If you are interested in Nutrition coaching, reach out to us at nutriton@bodyfixpt.com
Don't Go "Cold Turkey"
It is hard to give up things all at once. If you want to give up things like smoking or eating at McDonald's try tapering it off. It is okay to give in, from time to time, to your cravings. By slowly weening away from the behavior you don't want, you will be less likely to feel the pull back.
This can be especially difficulty with addictive substances like nicotine or alcohol. So it is important to remember that moving backwards is okay as long as the overall trend is in a positive direction!
Schedule Your Time
This is the one thing that may be the most beneficial but the most neglected at the same time. You need to schedule time in your day and/or week for you. If that is gym time, food prep time, mediation time, or whatever will help you achieve your goal, it is important to have blocks of time to work on it. You can schedule this uninterruptible time each week, or months in advance.
By scheduling time blocks for you, you will be less likely to forgo the activity and be much more likely to achieve your goals and resolutions!!
Slow Down
It is always important to pace yourself. If you move into a new behavior to fast, it can backfire on you. Take things slow at first. If you look at the first item on our list, we talk about making smaller goals to achieve your big goals. This can help you to slow down and realize that it is a marathon to your resolution and not a sprint.
Trying to change too many things at one time (workout schedule, nutrition intake, etc.) can become overwhelming in just a short time. Ideally we all need to make changes, but too much at once can be very hard and we may lose interest or have a feeling of failure if we don't start slow and build into our changes.
A successful strategy that we use for a lot of people is just one modification per week. An example of this would be if you currently don't work out. Try working out 1 day per week. As that becomes easier, you can add another 1 or 2 days. Slowly build from there.
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