Here it is already – 2016. Along with the New Year comes many New Year Resolutions. Have you made your New Year Resolutions? Are you resolutely standing behind your goals, determined to succeed? For many of us, we start out with the best intentions, but as you know, a few weeks or months into the New Year, and it gets more and more difficult to keep those resolutions. Well, you are not alone.
|
Did you know that 95% of New Year’s resolutions are forgotten by the last day of January?
Studies have shown that by February, many people are further behind than they were when they made the resolution! Here are a couple of ideas and tips on how to succeed.
Resolution: The goals and resolutions we set tend to be vague or unattainable goals, which, if we are not careful, set ourselves up to fail. Resolutions are typically black and white. For example, here are some resolutions we might makes:
Goals like these likely set you up for failure before you even begin!
Remedy: The goals you set should be realistic and specific. Don’t set a goal where you “vow” to “fix everything all at once.” Instead, focus on what is most important to you for 2016. When you set a goal that says, “I will lose weight,” this goals is not specific. Instead set a goal like, “I will lose 10 pounds.” This type of goal is both specific and measurable. Give yourself a reasonable time frame within which to attain your goal, and then set yourself smaller, incremental goals to help you attain that long-term goal. Set incremental goals such as, “I will lose two pounds over the next two weeks,” and after that, “In the next month, I will lose three pounds,” and so on. Making those stepping stones to your long-term goal will make you much more successful. And don’t forget, celebrate when you’ve reached that first goal. That is certainly something to celebrate.
Resolution: “New Year” is a start-time largely influenced by a group mindset. You will actually have a much greater chance of success if you lay the groundwork for success and consider the best time for you to begin working on your goals. January 1st is an arbitrary date, and just because that seems to be “the thing to do” since everyone else is, that doesn’t mean that is what you have to do.
Remedy: Why not choose a friend or health coach to help you along the way? Pick a start date that is right for you. Set your groundwork first. For example, if your goal is to lose a specific amount of weight, it would be a great first step to first keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. After you have done that, go over your diary, see what your pitfalls might be, and then remove the temptations from your refrigerator and pantry. This will set up to succeed right from the start.
Motivation
It is hard to stay continually motivated. In reality, if you decide to give up or give in to some craving, who is going to take you to task? If you want to bring about real change, you need to retrain your brain, create new habits, and ensure accountability.
One of the biggest tips given by health experts is that you should get support. As a Health Coach, I fully agree with their assessment. Get an accountability partner for yourself — work with a health coach one-on-one, or exercise with a friend. Accountability increases your opportunity for success by more than 50 percent! That’s incredible, isn’t it? I know for me, accountability is a key factor in succeeding in reaching my goals. With a health coach, you can explore your individual challenges and pitfalls, being open and honest without feeling judged. With a workout buddy, you will be much more likely show up each time on a consistent basis. You will also have the added bonus of having someone to share your successes and failure with. You pick one another up when you fall, and encourage and celebrate with each other. Another way to stay motivated is to think about how you will you feel once you’ve achieved your goal. Let yourself imagine those feelings. Visualize yourself in those skinny jeans you’ve not been able to get into for a while, or visualize yourself laying on the beach in that bathing suit you’ve been dreaming about. When you visualize yourself as already having achieved your goals, you will find that it is easier to stay on track and reach those long-term goals.
So on your way to your ultimate goal of a healthier, happier you, should you find yourself stumbling, just check out my Website, and hop on to a free 30-minute phone call with me, where I will encourage you, help you, and move you further toward your success. Happy New Year!
|
My sister used to get migraines. I don’t know if she gets them anymore, but the weird thing is they seemed to be tied to hormones. She had them a lot with her second pregnancy. She could never really convince her doctor of that though. I hope you feel better soon.