Learn 3 tips to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and one big mistake that you can avoid.
Let’s face it, New Year’s resolutions have a bad reputation … it’s as if they were made to be broken. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Below are 3 ways to stay on track and keep those resolutions throughout the year.
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions:
- 23% of people quit by the end of the first week
- 64% quit after the first month
Are you in the 64%? Well it’s not your fault. It’s the bad design of resolutions that’s to blame.
So, let’s start by calling them something else … anything else. The word resolution is overused and comes with that underlying implication of failure. Let’s call them goals, challenges, promises, plans … you pick. I’m going with goals.
Now let’s rework the design … here are 3 ways to ensure your New Year’s goals are achieved:
1. Start small.
If you tell yourself to “eat healthier foods and exercise more” in the new year … that will undoubtedly be a hard fail. The building blocks of a good habit require something very different than simply making a big, broad resolution.
So, start small. Pick 1 or 2 little things you can easily change that will support your goal. And make it measurable/trackable. Something like, “I will eat 2 fruits and 2 vegetables each day.”
For example, my client in New York City had a diet that was sorely lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables. She committed to eating just 2 fruits and 2 vegetables every day. This meant putting a handful of baby spinach in her scrambled eggs or on a sandwich, grabbing a pear after lunch, and having an appetizer of raw veg dipped in Green Goddess Dressing. Easy peasy, right?
This created a chain reaction that resulted in additional changes she didn’t even need to think about doing – because fruits and veg have lots of fiber – she was not as hungry throughout the day – she did not snack on junk foods and sweets, as she did previously – she enjoyed these tasty new additions and added more than 2 servings per day. And most importantly, she set herself up for success, which led to more success in choosing healthier foods. She attributes 10 lbs of weight loss to this simple initial change.
2. Forgive yourself.
So you ate a few extra slices of pizza yesterday. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Everybody slips up now and again. Forgive yourself, put on a positive attitude, and climb back up on that healthy eating horse! Self-forgiveness is a powerful tool that you should not be afraid to use.
3. Buddy up.
First, don’t go it alone. Find a friend to discuss your frustrations and failures with. They may have some helpful advice drawing from their own experience. Second, find a diet or exercise buddy – this could be a friend, family member or a co-worker (so many companies offer wellness programs/challenges to kick off the new year). Finding an exercise buddy is certainly a tried and true way to achieve success.
For example, my client in Maine has always dreaded, no despised, weight training but knew it had to be done (due to all the benefits related to issues like weight management and bone health). By hiring a personal trainer for her and her friend, they both committed to 2X/week early morning sessions. By driving to the gym together, there was no easy way to opt out. They got the job done and shockingly enjoyed their training sessions … most of the time. Added bonus: they saved on the cost of a personal trainer.
Conclusion
By employing these three steps – Small Habits – Self Forgiveness – The Buddy System – you are much more likely to keep your New Year’s goals and move forward in your progress toward better health.
Happy New Year and here’s to your health!
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Linda Hubbard is an RN, health coach, nutrition specialist, and founder of to your health, a national health and wellness coaching firm based in Wallingford, CT. She can be reached at linda@toyourhealth360.com.