We first wanted to apologize for the enormous span since our last blog. We have been extremely busy over the past few months and finally got some time to post a new entry.
With New Year’s day being only two weeks ago, I’m sure keeping the New Year’s resolution hasn’t been extremely difficult. In fact, a recent statistic says that 63% of people keep their resolution for up to two months. However, 25% of people give up right around two weeks according to a recent survey. For some people a resolution might include getting a new promotion or finishing a 5k race, and it would be understandable for them to maybe “resolve” this issue earlier in the year. What about the people that want to really change their lives or health by eating better or exercising more. Those resolutions are not something that will be accomplished in a matter of months. They are goals that would hopefully last a lifetime!
So how do you keep those resolutions for changing your lifestyle. A few different articles that I found have some great tips to help ensure successfully reaching your goals. If you haven’t thought about something you would like to resolve this year, maybe these tips will give you inspiration towards a few ideas. :
Be realistic: This is an extremely important factor when trying to set goals for yourself. It might not be realistic to lose 120 pounds with a one year span. The most surefire way to fall short of your goal is to make one that is unattainable. It might be better to break large goals into several small goals.
Plan ahead: Creating a plan of actions is a great way to ensure success. If I decided to run a marathon three weeks prior to the race, I might not have the best results. A New Year’s resolution, or any goal, is the same way. Try to determine what you really want to accomplish in your life and create a plan for success.
Outline your plan: The plan for success does not have to be all positive. In fact, it is highly advised to decide how you will deal with failures along the way. Knowing what you will do when you don’t feel like working out or need to have one more cigarette is an important way to stay focused on your goals. If working through these issues means having a friend or family member to hold you accountable, do it. If it means doing daily affirmations and envisioning your life after you goal has been reached, do it.
Talk about it: Goals are not like wishes. In fact, the more people you tell about your goal, the more people you will have to lean on for support. Even if you can’t get support from everybody you talk about your goal with, your odds for support can only go up with a greater number of people. Also, the more you talk about it the harder it is to forget about.
Reward yourself: If your goal is to begin working out consistently or eating a health diet, this doesn't mean that you can miss an entire week at the gym or eat an entire bag of Oreos. Instead, reward your progress by treating yourself to something that you enjoy that does not contradict your resolution. For example, if you have been sticking to your plan to workout consistently, maybe plan a fun outdoor activity with friends for a future workout instead of making a trip to the gym.
Track your progress: Keep track of each small success you make toward reaching your larger goal. Short-term goals are easier to keep, and small accomplishments will help keep you motivated. Instead of focusing on losing an enormous amount of weight, focus on losing that first five. Keeping a food diary may help you stay on track.
Don't beat yourself up: If you have a donut one morning, don’t let it ruin the entire day. Many people will ruin an entire day of healthy eating because the messed up early on in the day. If you miss a workout during the week, forget about it and try not to miss any more that week. The University of Maryland Medical Center used the analogy of sailing to discuss this point. “You almost never go directly from point A to point B. You set a course and periodically take readings of your position then make adjustments as you go along.” Obsessing over the occasional slip won't help you achieve your goal. Do the best you can each day, and take each day one at a time.
Stick to it: Experts say it takes about 21 days for a new activity, such as exercising, to become a habit, and 6 months for it to become part of your personality. So for those people that give up after 2 weeks, their goal never really had a chance. It does take persistence, but your new healthful habits will become second-nature over time.
Keep trying: If by mid-February, you have completely given up on your resolution, don’t beat yourself up over it. Start over again, but go at it at a different angle! There's no reason you can't make a "New Year's resolution" any time of year.
Hopefully this year brings a lot of great success to everybody, but wishing and hoping for something to change in your life may not be the most reliable plan. Having a goal in mind that motivates you, creating a plan of action, and staying focused and positive are a much more plausible path toward success.
Resources:
University of Maryland Medical Center: New Year's Resolutions Medical Guide (April 18, 2007)
University of Maryland Medical Center: Expert Advice on Maintaining Resolutions (April 18, 2007)
Lifehacker: Ten commandments of goal-setting (December 28, 2005)
Psychology Today: The Goals That Guide Us (July 22, 2003)
