Are you struggling to follow through on your New Year’s Resolution? Have you already given up? Or, maybe you never even started? You are not alone!
“Fitness Resolutions” are one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. You say, “I’m going to start working out OR lose weight OR eat healthier,”…AND THE LIST GOES ON! These resolutions are made with good intentions, but often end in self-disappointment. By following the next few steps, you will definitely increase your chances of success and HOPEFULLY even check this goal off your list!
1. PLAN! PLAN! PLAN!
Don’t wait until New Year’s Eve to decide on your resolution! Make time in the weeks leading up to the New Year to think about what you want to change or do differently and start putting plans in place for how you will achieve your goals. For example: If your plan is to “start working out,” decide if you want to apply for a gym membership or look into programs you can do at home. Then look at your schedule and see what days and times work best and start creating your calendar. Invest in things like ‘daily planners’ to help you get organized. If you have a plan set in place, you will feel more prepared and this will definitely spike your motivation to succeed. If you didn’t have a plan set for this year’s resolution, it’s not too late! Don’t wait until next year to do it right, start brainstorming now and put your plan into action tomorrow.
2. REALISTIC & SHORT TERM GOALS!
Set yourself up for success by being realistic! (Let’s stick to the, “start working out”, example.) My goal is to, “Workout 5 days a week/ 60min per day.” Chances are, that if you are only now ‘starting to workout,’ your fitness level is pretty low. Now you walk into the gym, kill yourself for 60min (hating every minute) and dread going back the next day. Day 2 you return and the 60min feels even longer and more painful. Your body is hurting so you are forced to take a couple of days off, but then start dreading going back. Eventually your gym days decrease and by February or March, you are paying for a membership you don’t use. This is why setting short term/realistic goals is so important. Set goals that are more achievable and that will eventually lead up to your end goal! In this case your goals might look more like this:
· Week 1-2 (3 days/week for 30min)
· Week 3-4 (3 days/week for 35min, including a 30min walk over the weekend)
· Week 4-8 (4 days/week for 35min, including a 30min walk over the weekend)
· Week 9-12 (4 days a week for 45min, including a 30min walk over the weekend)
Until you eventually reach the point where you are working out 5 days a week for 60min, without feeling like you want to give up or die, work towards those small ACHIEVABLE steps leading to your end goal!
3. REWARD YOURSELF!
Reward yourself for every step you complete or short term goal you achieve! This will give you something to look forward to and motivate you to work hard to achieve your next goal. But be careful! Choose rewards that will be beneficial to whatever your goal is. Don’t reward yourself with a pizza buffet! Rather opt for something like those resistance bands you saw everyone using, a new hair cut or a new pair of leggings (coz we all know a girl can never have too many pairs of legging!!!). Whatever it is that is going to motivate you and get you excited about getting back in the gym!
4. BUDDY SYSTEM!
Everything seems easier when you have someone who is going through it with you. This can be someone working with you towards the same goal OR even your spouse or friend who’s checking in on you and motivating you. Discuss your goals with other people. Making your goals public, will help keep you accountable. With this being said, you will also have to learn to say ‘NO’ to that friend who is leading you astray. Friends who care about you, will also care about helping you achieve your goals!
5. RECOVER!
Sometimes we pick immediate satisfaction over long-term satisfaction. This is especially true when trying to eat healthy and then being tempted by the unhealthy snacks at a friend’s party! That BBQ chicken wing is signaling your brain to produce dopamine, resulting in immediate pleasure and broken resolutions! Who can say no?! Watching your favorite movie instead of going to the gym OR staying out/up late and being too tired to work out in the morning. You need to remind yourself WHY you decided to make this change and the benefits of accomplishing your goal. Try your best to avoid ‘high risk situations,’ (like standing too close to that plate of chicken wings) and don’t let a moment of weakness turn into a full relapse of bad habits! Make sure that you get back to your healthy eating habits after that party or to make up for the workout you skipped when you decided to watch that movie.
Ultimately, New Year’s Resolutions should not be entered into lightly. Failing at your goals can take a major toll on your self-esteem. Stay confident in your ability to carry out your plan from ‘Step 1’ and remember that it takes an average of 66 days to create a new habit. Happy New Year! :D