Happy New Year!

Do You Want Successful And Attainable New Year’s Resolutions?
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I read an analogy for New Year’s resolutions this week that was cute, but true….”New Year’s resolutions are a bit like babies: They’re fun to make but extremely difficult to maintain.”

Do You Set Reachable Goals for New Year?

Did you know that every January, roughly one in three Americans resolve to better themselves in some way. A much smaller percentage of those people are actually able to see those resolutions successfully through. While approximately 75% of people stick to their goals for at least a week, less than half (46%) are still on target six months later. (This data comes from a study done in 2002.)

It is very difficult to keep up the enthusiasm months after you’ve embarked on your new endeavor. I have to admit that I am not crazy about making New Year’s resolutions per se. I have found that in my own life, I can make the resolution, but just like those people in the 2002 study, I find that my enthusiasm wanes and my resolution just fizzles out.

So my solution? Well, I tend not to make New Year’s resolutions at all! Personally, I don’t think of my goals as “New Year’s resolutions;” rather as life goals. I find it so much easier to reach my goals and stick to them on a long-term basis when I have a “mindset shift” from this being a “New Year’s resolution” to it being a permanent lifestyle change. Then I set myself small goals, and then set the longer term goals.

I had to change my whole way of thinking again recently. In my own life, I had “fallen off the wagon.” My usual clean eating regimen had been “blown up” so to speak. I had a few health issues at the end of 2015 carrying through into 2016, and had a couple of surgeries. After that, I found it difficult to get back on track. I found I could pretty much keep to my clean eating in the daytime, but in the evening, forget it! Salted peanuts and English chocolate constantly called my name. It was a downward spiral and one I had trouble getting out of. As a health coach, I knew that this was not the road I wanted to be on and new it was not the road I should be on. But as I’m sure you know, once you are on the downward spiral, it is really hard to get back on track. Fast forward now to a couple of months ago, and at when, as part of my yearly physical, I had labs done. My blood work showed that my cholesterol was way up. Before becoming a health coach, this had happened to me before, but this time, although my triglycerides were fine, my total cholesterol had reached a staggering high. My doctor, knowing my background and knowing that I had “beat cholesterol” through changing my diet in the distant past, gave me two choices; one (of course) to go on a statin drug, and the other was that he would give me three months to get my diet back on track and get my cholesterol back down to normal.

This was an easy decision for me, and just the catalyst I needed to get back on my clean eating diet without the binging! Having that ultimatum has made it easier for me to get back on track. I now have a goal and have shifted my mindset to accommodate my goal so that I can be successful.

Goal Setting

So, as I write this, I do so not only to share my own story, letting you know that I understand how it feels, and how hard it can be, to get onto the road that leads to a healthier lifestyle, but also because I really want you to succeed in your own goals in 2017, and find your own roadway to success. This is the year for you. Set your goals, both short-term and long-term.

Write them down – put them on the refrigerator if you need to as a daily reminder of each of your goals.

Not sure how to set goals?

1. Set a weekly goal. For example, this week, I am going to make all my breakfasts, lunches and dinners ahead for the week – options that are healthy.

2. Set a goal for the month of January. For example, this month I am going to lose 6 pounds.

3. Set a long-term goal. For example, over the next 6 months, I will consistently make myself healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the entire week (batch cooking) so that I always have a healthy option; I will exercise 4 times a week, and I will lose 35 pounds.
If you understand that by setting these types of goals, you can more successfully attain your long-term goal, the more sure you can be that you will reach that goal.

And yes, of course, I have an idea of how I can help you jump start your New Year successfully by fitting in some realistic, healthy goals for 7 days to get you started….
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Get the information, Inspiration and Motivation you need to Kick-Start Your Weight Loss and Healthy & Fitness Goals so that you can feel better FAST.

• Get your energy back
• Lose some weight
• Learn how to be healthy and fit so that you can have a successfully fit year

Join me for FREE the 7-Day Healthy Habits Challenge  —  January 16th

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Here’s to a happy and successful 2017!​​​​​​​

All the best,

Lynne