Are you someone that makes New Year's Resolutions? About 45% of Americans will make New Year's Resolutions in 2012. Unfortunately, about half of us that do will give up after the month of January. It seems as though we need some help.
Here are 4 simple tips to increase your chances of keeping your New Year's Resolutions this year. The #1 New Year's Resolution almost every year is to lose weight so it will our example. But you could substitute nearly any goal or resolution.
#1) Find a Reason: You don't really want to lose weight. A number on a scale doesn't mean anything. The real reason you want to lose weight is because you want to fit back into your old jeans. You want to be able to play with your kids or grandkids. You want to feel better and have more energy. You want to have more self confidence in what you wear. If you can't do these things (or whatever your reason) losing weight doesn't really matter.
#2) Be Specific: The resolution "Lose Weight" is great in theory. But what does that mean? Lose one pound before 2013? For better success, decide how much weight you would like to lose and break it down into smaller increments. Then determine how much weight you need to lose each month and each week for that to happen. For example, lets say you want to lose 25 lbs. This sounds tough. But break it down into smaller increments and you need to lose 2 pounds each month, which is only .5 lbs each week. You can totally do that.
#3) Develop a Plan: If losing weight was easy, it wouldn't be the #1 New Year's Resolution. It's not just going to happen. You're going to have to make it happen. The two best ways to lose weight are to exercise and eat healthy. Let's use tip #2 and break those down.
Exercise - When can I fit exercise into my day? How long will my workouts be? Will I join a gym, do an exercise program, or create my own plan? How many times each week will I work out? Who will I exercise with? What is my plan B or how am I going to exercise if the gym is closed, the car breaks down, I oversleep, or I get snowed in?
Eat Healthy - What food/drink am I going to cut back on? What foods/drinks will I eat more of? What foods/drinks will I have on hand if I need a snack? Who is going to help hold me accountable to eat/drink healthier?
#4) Reevaluate Often: Obviously you're not going to wait until 2013 to see if you met your goal. Check your progress at least once each month and see what changes you need to make. Are you ahead of schedule? Great! Keep up the good work! Are you behind schedule? What do you need to tweak to be more successful?
These 4 tips are not foolproof but I must say they have worked for me. I'll be sharing some of my goals for 2012 soon.
What helps you keep your New Year's Resolutions?
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