With the month and year ending tomorrow I thought I’d do a post on New Year’s Resolutions with the focus being on making resolutions that are sustainable rather than ones that get lost in the shuffle much like the paper you write them down on.
I tend to look at New Year’s resolutions like fad diets–everyone participates at some point. Much like you drink only lemonade for a week then crash and burn and binge on donuts the next, you sit around the table comparing and sharing then the first week of January roles around and you find yourself at the gym twice a day, walking the dog, preparing meals for the entire week, not yelling at your family, reading the classics, and buying a wrinkle cream.
Then the second week of January roles around, you crash, and you find yourself in the McDonald’s drive through on the way to marriage counseling.
Let’s make this year different by setting New Year’s resolutions that are not only realistic, but attainable as we venture into 2012.
1. Set Reachable Weight Loss Goals
It’s fairly typical to put on 3-7 pounds around the holidays but it’s important to remember that those pounds were gained over 2 months, they’re not going to magically come off over the next week. Losing 1 pound per week is incredibly realistic and can be achieved by cutting 3500 calories from your diet. You can do this by skipping dessert 3 nights this week, passing on the toast and juice at breakfast and instead reaching for the oatmeal and egg whites, and by not snacking after dinner.
By making small and simple lifestyle changes, the weight will not only come off, but stay off. One pound a week maybe not seem like a lofty goal, but after 2 months you can lose 8 pounds and people will begin to notice.
2. Set Specific Work out Times and Methods
It’s difficult to say “I’m going to workout 4 days this week” because by Wednesday you still have those left but when Thursday rolls around and you don’t have the energy to hit the gym, you feel like you might as well not even bother this week.
Instead, try picking a class that you attend weekly and no matter what comes up, you always make time for that class. Whether it’s zumba at 7:30 on Tuesdays or a workout video that you always do at 8am on Fridays, pick a date, a time, and a mode of exercise and you’ll find your motivation increase as the practice becomes a habit.
This year, look up the class schedule at your gym or community center and pick one you’ve never tried before. It’s ok if you start out slow and can’t do everything the instructor tells you to (much like me in body pump), everyone there was in your place at one point and you’ll be surprised how quickly your body adapts and is able to keep up with the best.
3. Pick a Food you’re Going to Forgo
Instead of saying “I’m not going to eat sugar this entire year” (which will make you more grumpy that it’s worth), say “I’m going to stay away from Donuts until next January. Cutting out a specific food and sticking to that goal will help you feel empowered and confident when placed in the situation again (even when donuts are the only food provided at your breakfast work meeting, tell yourself you can have a piece of chocolate after dinner instead).
Even if you don’t find yourself faced with the food daily, the avoidance will do more for your sense of self-discipline than for your waist-line and will give you the confidence you need to stick to a health conscious diet as the year progresses.
Happy New Year!
With these tips in mind that can essentially be applied to any resolution:
1. Set realistic goals
2. Make a plan
3. Choose one thing to focus on at a time
Not only will you have your New Year’s resolutions in the bag, you’ll be able to keep them there until the next round of resolutions rolls around.