7 Successful Tips on Sticking to your Workout Resolutions!
Well, we made it another year! 2013 is here to take us through another 365 days of this journey we call life. This is the time of year we all start making resolutions only to have them fade away by Valentine’s day. There is so much pressure to start fresh in the new year that marketing companies love to use phrases like “New Year, New You” to plant the seed of change in your mind.
I’m guilty of thinking in mid-December that the new year will bring love, money, weight loss and all things positive to wipe away the negative events of 2012. But, it doesn’t quite workout that way now does it? We need to start changing our perception throughout the entire year to make the year the best one yet. By switching to a positive outlook and attitude all year round, the new year takes on a completely different tone. Positive people don’t need to start fresh because they are focused on positive things all the time.
Alas, the new year is always a great time to refocus, get back to the grind after the holidays and focus on ourselves for a short time until life catches up to us again and trick or treaters are knocking on our door.
So, what can you do to keep those goals throughout the year? Here are my top 7 tips on managing New Year resolutions to make them a great success this year!
- Stop making resolutions that are impossible to achieve. We get excited hearing “New Year, New You” things all over the place that this it the year we are finally going to do it. Unfortunately, that’s when people want to change every at once, which is never going to happen.
- Set monthly goals instead of yearly resolutions. Make January the month you start drinking more water and cut out soda and February the month you start going to the gym. By making your goals for 30 days at a time, you can focus on those goals individually instead of doing it all at once.
- Create a goal or vision board for the year. Get a small poster board and find things that you want to accomplish this year. Put them on the board and then place the board somewhere you will always see like the refrigerator or your bathroom mirror. This is a constant reminder of the things you are working so hard to achieve.
- Involve your family by making a goal for everyone and then 1 individual goal for each person. This way you can cheer each other on, hold each other accountable and celebrate them together. Maybe your kids want to get a puppy this year but you aren’t sure they can handle it – make it a goal for them with tasks throughout the month. Work towards the goal together but have fun celebrating the puppy if the goals are achieved. Or, if they aren’t achieved, maybe stick with a fish until the kids are ready for that adorable puppy responsibility.
- Start a journal. Write down those goals and keep track of the tasks needed to get to where you want to be each day so you stay on top of them. Keep a food log if you are trying to lose weight or a workout notebook to track results.
- Find a mentor. People love sharing their experiences and things they know so ask around! I’m sure you can find someone that would enjoy helping you reach your goals just like they did with theirs.
- Make daily affirmations instead of long term goals. Maybe you want to live an overall happier and more positive life? Each day when you wake up, think of something that you want to accomplish that day and make an affirmation to yourself that you will conquer it!
Hopefully, by making these small changes this year, you can finally say by the end of the year that you actually accomplished your goals you set in January and create a different outlook this year to have wonderful things happen all year long.
Rebecca Black is the owner of Bexa Body Fitness in Westerville, Ohio and blogger of Pretty Little Celiac. She struggled with her own weight and started her career in the fitness industry in 2009. Rebecca is a published fitness writer and model along with public speaker specializing in fitness, wellness, celiac disease, gluten free living and motivational topics. Rebecca is excited to contribute content for The Schottenstein Real Estate Group! She can be reach via email at Rebecca@bexabodyfitness.com