The New Year brings a new sense of hope and promise, and it often motivates a lot of people to make resolutions. Making the resolution is easy, it’s keeping them that is the hard part.
It can be intimidating when your New Year’s resolutions list is as long as your holiday shopping list. On top of being in a post-holiday slump, it’s not surprising that most people either quit or forget to keep their resolutions by the time February rolls around.
However, it is important to remember that the New Year isn’t meant to be the only time that someone makes huge character changes. Instead, see it as a time for people to reflect on their past year’s behavior and promise to make positive lifestyle changes.
By making your resolutions reasonable, you are more likely to be able to accomplish them throughout the year. Here are a few tips to think about when coming up with your News Year’s resolutions:
- Take baby steps: Make resolutions that you know you can keep. Think about each of your goals and if you think you’ll be able to keep them. If your goal is to exercise more often, try scheduling three days a week at the gym instead of trying to start off going every day. If you’re trying to eat healthier, try replacing skipping or replacing it with a healthier option like fruit or yogurt. Don’t look at your new diet as a form of punishment.
- One at a time: The unhealthy behaviors we have developed over time – sometimes our whole lives. So, it’s not surprising that changing these unhealthy behaviors into healthy ones requires time. So, there is no need to get overwhelmed and think that you have to change absolutely everything in your life. The best way to achieve any goal is to work on your goals one at a time.
- Share your goals: Share your goals with family and friends. There are also plenty of weight-loss support groups out there to help encourage you to reach your goals, both online and in person. Whether it’s a workout class at your gym or a Facebook group where people share their weight loss achievements. When you share your struggles and successes, it can help make your journey easier and less intimidating.
- No one is perfect: Being perfect is not realistic. Remember that making small mistakes when trying to achieve your goals is completely normal. There is no need to completely give up just because you ate an extra slice of pizza or didn’t go to the gym because you were too tired after work. Ups and downs will come with this journey and the only way to recover from a mistake is to get back on track.
- Ask for help: Don’t be afraid to accept help from those who care about you. It’s important to have someone who will be there to strengthen your spirit and be there for you to share your feelings. Of course, there are some cases where you may feel overwhelmed or unable to meet your goals without help – you should then consider seeking professional help.
Being positive about your New Year’s weight-loss resolution can actually benefit you in the long-run. When you are able to imagine the final outcome and what course of action to take, you will be better prepared for success.
At O’Connor Health Center, we offer our clients a way to help them along their fitness journey. Our goal is to provide our patients with a healthy environment in the body for your cells to flourish. Give us a call at (650) 334-1010 today to schedule an appointment.