Today’s the day. We’ve gotten through the last 365 days and we are finally back at “Day 1.” The day where everything is fresh and clean. The day where you start new. New goals. New habits. New ways. It’s all just new! Really, it’s a great feeling for so many people who feel like maybe the last 365 days weren’t quite the best they could have been.
You could’ve eaten better. You could’ve kept a cleaner home. You could have exercised more than once every month. You could have been nicer to your kids. We all have our own lists of “could have beens,” and New Year’s Day is the day that we all feel like we have another chance to improve ourselves in those aspects of our lives. Well… until the hype of the New Year dies down, that is. All the excitement is gone. Stress gets in the way. Life happens. And well, before you know it, you’re counting down the days when you can start all over again. We’ve all been there. You know what I’m talking about.
I’m all about getting healthy in the new year, like everyone else, but I want to help you to be able to stay healthy for the entire year instead of just the first few weeks! I have a few simple tips that are going to make Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolution easier than ever before!
1. Make a Realistic Goal. Sticking to your resolutions starts before you’ve even started. You’ve got to pick goals that are realistic! Start small if you have to. Resolve to run a 5k by the spring. That’s definitely something that’s do-able! A marathon this year may not be realistic if you’ve never run a day in your life. Things like fitting into your high school pants or doing 20 pull-ups may not be realistic either. Really think about the goal you make for yourself and make sure it’s something that you truly can physically do this year. The worst thing you could do is set yourself up for failure!
2. Have a Plan. Once you’ve set the goal for yourself, it’s time to come up with the steps it takes to get there. You’re not going to be able to wake up one day able to run a 5k if you’ve never done it before. It’s going to take planning, training, and practice. Write down the steps you will need to take. Keep it somewhere you’ll see it often. That way you can start crossing off each step once you’ve met that step.
3. Set Yourself Up for Success with Exciting New Tools. One thing that gets me pumped and excited about starting something new is getting some new tools together. And by tools, I mean purchases. Now don’t go all crazy, but this can be totally fun. Buy a new workout outfit. Or a new pair of shoes. I just bought a new fitness tracker and headphones that I’m super stoked about. These are investments that I know I’d be annoyed with myself if I didn’t use. Once you’ve gotten a “tool” or two to get motivated and pumped to start, make a list of milestones where a new tool will be allowed. For example, one month of working out 5 days a week may earn you a new workout shirt. Nothing major. Just something small to keep you excited.
4. Have an Accountability Partner. Having support is super important when it comes to your goals. Tell someone about your goals. Heck, tell your whole Facebook friends list. Get it out there, and then have someone with the same or similar goals who you can go to any time that you need a little extra support. Going through a goal or life change can be very difficult if you just go at it on your own. Having someone by your side who is personally cheering you on and who may understand exactly what you’re going through is crucial to your success. Without support, the days when you just aren’t feeling motivated are going to be rough and very lonely.
5. Don’t Beat Yourself Up. This is the most important part. Listen closely. Not every day is going to be perfect. Or maybe you went a whole week of not sticking to your resolution. That doesn’t mean that you broke it. All it means is that you had a little hiccup. Big deal. There’s no need to get down on yourself about it. That will only make it worse. Instead, have a heart to heart with yourself or your accountability partner. Maybe look up some motivating quotes and images on Pinterest. And get back into it like nothing ever happened. That is the best thing you can do for yourself. No one is perfect. No one sticks to their resolutions every single day of the year. Once you accept that, you can move forward toward those goals!
I hope these tips help you to get motivated and pumped up for those health-related New Year’s Resolutions you have made for yourself. I know you can do this!
If you’re looking for a workout you can do right now, check out this At-Home, No Weight Glute Workout to get the burn started!
Leave a Reply