Ditch your New Year's resolutions
Another year has come to pass and so begins the New Year’s resolutions. The belief that all of our motivation and willpower will manifest to change our lifelong habits, in what is one of the coldest, wettest and most boring months of the year.
We at SnowDome Fitness are in the business of helping our members reach their goals and we do it with great success. We’re also here to tell you though, that 1st January isn’t the only time you can set a goal or make a change.
Set yourself goals at any time, set them often, break them down into smaller chunks and monitor your success. Tell your friends, family or friendly Fitness Team, let them help you achieve great results. Don’t rely on the mystic magical powers of the first day of 2018.
So, if you are going to set resolutions, at any point in the year, here’s what you need to do.
Break them down
Saying you’re going to lose weight this year, eat less or stop smoking just isn’t enough. Figure it out and then work backwards. If you want to drop two dress sizes in a year, that’s your end point. From there you’ll want to drop 1 dress size by June and have your clothes feel looser by March. In January your target would be to decrease your calorie intake by 200 a day. When the mountain is broken up into small steps, it isn’t as daunting or as far off.
Find your why, not just your what
It’s easy to say what you want to do, but more difficult to discover why it is you’re wanting to do it. “I want to lose weight,” is far less impactful than “I want to set a healthy example for my children,” or “I want to feel confident around friends and family.” If you take the time to figure out why it really is that you’re setting out to make a change, you won’t give up on it as easily.
Write it down
When you write it down, your brain really takes notice, you commit to it and you can work from it. Once you’ve written it down, then you add the mini milestones and targets that will get you there. Do it on a spreadsheet, wall calendar or a note you keep in your bag, whatever works for you. Refer back to it when you need to, when you need to check something off or edit it somehow, so it better fits your situation.
Have an accountability partner
Involve your social circle. Tell a friend or family member, maybe even someone who’s on a similar journey to you. Once you’ve done that, catch up with them on regular basis about how you’re doing. Even better, encourage them to keep you on track, get them to ask how you’ve done each week. Knowing that you’re going to have to say how you’ve done every week will keep you more focused.
Don’t beat yourself up about it
Everybody fails! Everybody gets things wrong! Thomas Edison famously said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work,” so don’t panic if it doesn’t work out straight away or you have a blip. It’s how you react when things don’t go plan which will define your success.
So, don’t depend on New Year’s resolutions. You’re awesome, amazing and can change whenever YOU decide you need to. When you do decide to make a change, follow our tips and speak to one of the Fitness Team, we’d love to help you on your journey!
