Planning New Year’s resolutions are about identifying areas in our lives that could use some remodeling. But completing those adjustments is where that could get tricky. Specialists state that recognizing it as a journey and not an overnight fix is one of the keys to success. This is particularly with regards to the most popular and traditional resolutions of getting fit and losing weight.
Here are tips that will help you stay on track with your resolutions for the new year.
Choose Specific Goals
Creating a New Year’s resolution is simply making a goal. And making an all too grand goal may just hinder you in the end. Being specific drives you to think about the “how” not just the “what”, and boosts the likelihood of you adhering to your goals. Rather than “I will eat healthier,” which is hardly specific, go with, “I will cook an average of 3 healthy recipes a week between every month till March.”
Set Realistic Expectations
A simple way to get off track is by fixing goals that are impracticable to achieve. Instead of striving to lose 30 pounds in 30 days, wouldn’t it be easier to create a weight loss plan that is practical and healthy?
Don’t be terrified to take on lofty resolutions, but don’t fail before you start by choosing something quite impossible. All too often, people discontinue resolutions because they get overwhelmed or disinclined along the way. Grade yourself as precise as you will grade others, and go for something you can achieve in the year.
Create Measurable Goals
Before proceeding, set a date of completion for yourself. Most goals demand placing deadlines or time frames. The time frame you build for your New Year’s resolutions is your barometer for success. It is useful in determining how to assess your short-term progress towards the ultimate long-term goal. It also presents you with structure, allows you to plan effectively, and boosts your sense of urgency.
Keep it simple – Start with Small Steps
One excellent way to stick to your New Year’s resolution is to break it up into more manageable milestones to keep from getting overwhelmed. “Lose 25 pounds” can be a daunting task to contemplate. “Lose 1 pound this week” is much easier to think about. It’s simpler to attain these smaller benchmarks continuously.
Making a bunch of immense changes at a time can be counterproductive. Imagine for a moment that growing healthy is likened to a marathon. Sprinting on January 1, definitely you will wear out before you get far. You have a whole year to succeed in your goal, so don’t sabotage yourself by racing too much.
Put Time into Planning
To afford yourself the best possibility of success, build a plan with clear steps before picking up new healthy habits. A general goal as “exercising more” may be too vague.
For instance, if you wish to embark on a healthy diet journey, conduct some research on healthy foods, create a list and then prepare yourself for some grocery shopping. This way, you will not need to seize whatever is available whenever you get starved. Sticking with selected resolutions becomes easier as you have a basic plan to follow.
Avoid Repeating Past Failures
If you set the same resolutions every year, you need to break out of a rut. If your new goal is similar to a resolution that failed in the past, take time out to figure out why you failed and try to find a better way that works for you and your daily life. You can try again, but exercise a different approach or choose a different goal altogether.
Build a support network
Most healthy New Year’s resolutions aren’t easy to accomplish. It’s even harder if you try to get healthy on your own. A support system, like your family or close friends, can be a source of encouragement and motivation.
It’s a great idea to have other people cheer you in your quest for better health. Tell your family and friends about your goals, but also why the change is important to you. You can also turn to digital help. There are countless apps designed to lend support, keep you motivated, track progress and hold you accountable. You’re far more likely to avoid the snooze button if you know your training partner is already on the way.
Keep Working on Your Goals
Remember that permanent change is a process. Moving out of old habits and into new ones can make anyone feel unsafe and unsure. The unhealthy habits you’re trying to change didn’t abruptly arrive, they took quite some time to advance.
No matter what your goal is, it’s natural that you might encounter a few slips. Use your “slips” as learning experiences and understand what caused the setbacks, how they made you feel, and how you can block them in the future. Then start again. If you oversleep one day and miss a workout, enjoy the extra rest and wake up early the next morning to get your workout in. If your resolution becomes part of your routine, you’re more likely to stay hooked.
Don’t fall off track if you’re unable to meet smaller, daily goals once in a while. It happens to the best of us. Nobody’s perfect, so if you break your streak, don’t give up! Don’t let one too many cupcakes ruin your plan for the whole year.
Celebrate success
When making New Year’s resolutions, many people get sidelined by the idea of perfection. But if you walked instead of running, go ahead and pat yourself on the back for at least doing something.
And when you do reach the small goals you set, celebrate by indulging in a healthy reward or shouting out to your support network. This in turn increases motivation and productivity. Rewarding yourself in simple ways for small accomplishments, allows you to reflect on your success and celebrate hard work.
As you work through your goals later in the year, set up bigger rewards for yourself. If you’re going to the gym frequently three days a week by then, upgrade your workout clothes or pick out a new water bottle. Giving yourself little rewards that amplify your goals will make them feel all the more rewarding.
If you’ve struggled to keep your resolutions in the past, don’t lose hope. With a little extra planning, you can change your habits and ultimately change your life. Commit to making this year the year that your resolution is going to stick