The
New Year is upon us. Do you have a New Year’s
Resolution? Well, if you’re like most Americans
(88 percent in 2001 according to a GNC poll), you
have at least one resolution. And, if you are like
the majority of these promise-makers, your resolution
is probably related to health and fitness. In 2001
(according to GNC), 55 percent promised to eat healthier,
50 percent resolved to exercise more, and 38 percent
wanted to lose weight.
While
resolutions are well-intentioned, unfortunately most
people fail at keeping them. With all the hype surrounding
these promises, it’s easy to get caught up in
it without really taking them seriously. |
 |
We
live in a throw-away society and even our resolutions, I’m
afraid, are not immune. However, especially for promises
that include improving our health, it’s in our best
interest not to take them lightly.
So,
what’s the secret to successful resolutions? While
you can’t wave a magic wand and make your resolution
come true, there are some easy steps to take that will make
it easier to fulfill your promise to yourself.
- Choose
an obtainable goal. Resolving to look like a super model
is not realistic for the majority of us, but promising
to include daily physical activity in our lives is very
possible.
- Avoid
choosing a resolution that you’ve been unsuccessful
at achieving year after year. This will only set you up
for failure, frustration and disappointment. If you are
still tempted to make a promise that you’ve made
before, then try altering it. For example, instead of
stating that you are going to lose 30 pounds, try promising
to eat healthier and increase your weekly exercise.
- Create
a game plan. At the beginning of January, write a comprehensive
plan. All successful businesses start with a business
plan that describes their mission and specifics on how
they will achieve it. Write your own personal plan and
you’ll be more likely to succeed as well.
- Break
it down and make it less intimidating. Rather than one
BIG end goal, dissect it into smaller pieces. Set several
smaller goals to achieve throughout the year that will
help you to reach the ultimate goal. Then, even if you
aren’t able to reach your final goal, you will have
many smaller, but still significant, achievements along
the way. For example, if your goal is to complete a 10K
race, your smaller goals could be running a 5K in less
than 30 minutes, adding upper and lower body strength
training to increase your muscular endurance, and running
2 miles with a personal best completion time.
- Make
Contingency Options: Don’t assume sticking to your
plan will be smooth sailing. Plan on hitting bumps along
the resolution road and be prepared with specific ways
to overcome them. What will keep you from skipping your
workout or stop you from having a cigarette? This may
mean seeking help from family or a professional, writing
in a journal, etc.
Give It Time: Most experts agree that it takes about 21
days to create a habit and six months for it to actually
become a part of your daily life.
Reward yourself with each milestone. If you’ve stuck
with your resolution for 2 months, treat yourself to something
special. But, be careful of your reward type. If you’ve
lost 5 pounds, don’t give yourself a piece of cake
as an award. Instead, treat yourself to something non-food
related, like a professional massage.
- Ask
friends and family members to help you so you have someone
to be accountable to. Just be sure to set limits so that
this doesn’t backfire and become more irritating
than helpful. For example, if you resolve to be more positive
ask them to gently remind you when you start talking negatively.
Don’t go it alone! Get professional assistance.
Everyone needs help and sometimes a friend just isn’t
enough. Sometimes you need the help of a trained professional.
Don’t feel that seeking help is a way of copping
out. Especially when it comes to fitness, research studies
have shown that assistance from a fitness professional
greatly improves people’s success rate.
- Limit
your number of promises. You’ll spread yourself
too thin trying to make multiple changes in your life.
This will just lead to failure of all of the resolutions.
- Test
Your Flexibility: Realize that things change frequently.
Your goals and needs may be very different in April then
they were when you made your resolution in January. Embrace
change, even if that means that your resolution is altered.
- Keep
A Journal: A journal helps you recognize your positive
steps and makes it harder to go back to the same old habits.
On
average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions.
Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in
fitness resolutions. But don’t let the statistics
get you down. By following the tips above you’ll be
better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.
About
The Author
Lynn
Bode is a certified personal trainer specializing in Internet-based
fitness programs. She founded Workouts For You, which provides
affordable online exercise programs that are custom designed
for each individual. Visit: http://www.workoutsforyou.com
for a free sample workout. Fitness professionals take your
business online, visit: http://www.trainerforce.com
|
