2020 is underway and people are slowly but surely getting into the groove of their resolutions. Perhaps the goal is to quit smoking, eat out less often, exercise more, or eat healthier. While these resolutions may sound familiar (they may have been the same ones last year), sticking to the plan is the hardest part.
Summoning the determination for your resolution is the first step, followed by carrying out said resolution. Getting it to stick is the third and most challenging step because the second step is often followed by the abandonment of your resolution. It takes time to establish new habits or behaviors, and don’t expect them to become automatic overnight. When you aren’t losing as much weight as you thought, or you find yourself drinking more alcohol than you’d like to, you can become easily stressed or concerned with the effectiveness of your resolution.
As you begin to tackle your resolutions, it is wise to incorporate stress-relieving practices in your life. Meditate on the fact that everything may not go as planned and that you can adapt no matter what life throws at you. Start to take regular walks, participate in yoga classes, or simply take time to recite affirmations that keep you on track and positive. You can find tips on how to stick to your resolutions below.
Award Yourself
The problem with most people and their resolutions is they don’t recognize the small victories. Let’s say that the resolution is to lose 30 pounds by March 15th, but the person only loses 15 pounds by March 1st. That’s better than not losing any weight, even though you are 15 pounds shy with two weeks to go. You can easily encourage yourself to keep going by acknowledging your many successes, even if you miss your deadline. Additionally, find an exercise group on social media to have a community to cheer on your progress.
Learn From The Past
Remember the last time you tried to exercise more often and then completely fell off the wagon? YOU’RE STILL PAYING FOR YOUR GYM MEMBERSHIP, AREN’T YOU? What caused you to stop exercising? This is crucial to remember because a failed attempt is a lesson learned. The only way to reach your goals is by analyzing your mistakes and learning to navigate your way to success. If 30 minutes of exercise per day is too much, drop it down to 10 minutes a day to start. Need to exercise more frequently, try working out while you watch TV.
Understand Why You Should Not Make A Change
It’s easy to think up weight loss resolutions and reasons why you should eat healthier and exercise more often, but this doesn’t necessarily motivate you to set out and achieve your goals. Sometimes, you have to understand why you are sticking to old habits in order to spark change. You will boost your chances of success when you understand that the positives of something new and different outweigh the negatives of the same old routine. You’re less likely to experience lasting results if you don’t examine your current bad habits.
Break Up Your Goals Into Steps
Shooting for the moon is admirable, but now it’s time to think small. Think of your goal as a game, breaking it up into quarters or levels. Get to first base, for example, before you even think about heading for second, or third, or home plate. Don’t discredit the easy feats because the more items you check off your list of goals, the closer you’ll be to your end goal.
Begin When You’re Actually Ready
You want to know how to set yourself up for failure? Begin your resolution when you are unprepared. So many people set out to improve health and fitness, but they often forget to factor in the little things. What happens when you go out to dinner with friends, or how will you go to the gym if you pick your children up for after school activities? How will you fit exercise into your day and will you have the strength to eat salads at restaurants? Plan ahead and start when you are ready.
