DON’T LET YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS DOWN.
We are in our third full week of January and it’s no secret that some of our fellow friends and family members have fallen off their New Year’s Eve resolutions bandwagon. Unsurprisingly, the #1 NYE resolution in 2015, as it is in most years, was to “lose weight,” however, data has shown* that after one month, 36% of the goal-setting population will ditch their efforts completely. Even more shocking is that only 8% of people who establish their new year goals are actually successful in achieving their resolution! The drop-off rate of now (well, in this case then) fitness enthusiasts is not only predictable but also preventable.
SO, HOW CAN YOU GIVE YOURSELF THE BEST CHANCE OF ACHIEVING YOURS?
We’ll tell you.
- Remember that goal list that you wrote down? Is it still in a highly visible place? Well, make sure it is. Studies have shown that if you see and acknowledge your list a few times a day, you are more likely on sticking to your resolutions.
- Keep yourself accountable. No matter how you were planning on enforcing this (support group, journaling, an app), keep doing it! The minute that you start going silent on your goals is when you will stop making your goal a priority and you might drop-off.
- Keep reminders of why you wanted to achieve your resolution in the first place.
- Reward yourself. We totally get it; January is a hard month to stay motivated in— but you need to find a way to get through the cold, doom & gloom. Reward yourself for your little and big victories. No, this doesn’t mean treating yourself to a pint of your favorite ice cream (which would be totally counterproductive), instead find something else that you want that will be a daily reminder that you are doing a great job!
- Take progress shots. If your goal is to lose weight and get into shape, then make sure you’re documenting it. Weigh yourself, take measurements and photos so that even when you can’t see the progress in the mirror, you will be able to when you’re comparing before and after photos.
- Be patient. Okay, I know that this is super hard to do but results don’t happen overnight. In fact, how many months/years did it take to get you where you are now? That’s what we thought. Give yourself realistic expectations, we are talking 1-2lbs a week, nothing more!
Overall the most important aspect to realize about any goal you set is that it takes a full commitment in order to be achieved. Simply put, you get what you give. If going it alone doesn’t seem to be working, see what a professional has to say about your approach. Especially if you’re frustrated with your results, give us a call at (855) 496-4899 and receive a complimentary fitness assessment!
*http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/
