Whether you spent New Year’s Eve partying in Miami or Monte Carlo, the second you wake up on January 1st, it’s time to kick those New Year’s resolutions into high gear. Research suggests that up to 92 percent of people who go into the New Year optimistic that they’ll finally make and keep resolutions that change their lives for the better fall short of their high expectations.
From slipping up on diets to having a cocktail when you promised yourself a dry January, it’s easy to fall prey to those old habits that derailed you in the past. However, there’s still hope even if you feel yourself slipping. If you want to make this the year you finally change your life for good, these easy tips will help you keep those resolutions and enjoy the fruits of your labor in the long run.
“Research suggests that up to 92 % of
people who go into the New Year optimistic
that they’ll finally make and keep resolutions
that change their lives for the better fall
short of their high expectations.”
Get a buddy
The key to successfully keeping your resolutions isn’t just willpower—it’s having a whole team behind you. Whether you’re trying to quit smoking, eat healthier, or make it to the gym more often, having a buddy to tag along with you or just support you along your journey can make all the difference in the world.
In fact, a review of research conducted through the University of Utah’s Department of Psychology and Health Psychology Program reveals that social support in its many forms has a positive effect on helping people keep their goals and maintaining their emotional health while doing so.
Keep a diary
Want to stick to your New Year’s resolution in 2018? Start with a diary. Keeping a diary or planner is one of the best ways to hold yourself accountable, and gives you a fun activity to participate in, too. Keeping a journal means you have a record of all the times you’ve hit a goal, the things that have stood in your way, and what you’re learning in the process.
Better yet, it can help you remember the steps you’re taking on the path to your ultimate goal. This makes it easier to know when you’ve already had a little too much sugar on a given day and gives you incentive to pat yourself on the back when you look through and realize you’ve completed a daily workout for a month.
Use social media
Sharing your health and fitness progress on social media may seem scary, but in the long run, it may help you reach those goals faster. Using social media helps get your goals out to a wider audience than you would be able to in person, thus expanding your support network, too. Think of it this way: you probably only have a few dozen people (if that) who you talk to in person or on the phone every week.
In contrast, it’s not unlikely that you have hundreds, or even thousands of Facebook friends and Twitter and Instagram followers. Now, imagine how amazing it would be if that huge social circle was cheering you on every time you lost a pound, made a healthy meal, or dropped a dress size. That’s definitely some serious motivation to keep going right there.
Set smaller goals along the way
Having a huge goal in mind, whether that’s losing 30 pounds or going vegan overnight, can be scary. Worse yet, it can make you feel like quitting when you fall short of that big goal time and time again. Instead of setting yourself up for failure, try setting smaller, more easily-attainable goals along the way.
Rather than saying you’ll lose a certain number of pounds, challenge yourself to lose a certain percentage of body fat, or simply to hit the gym at least three times this week and four times next week. By hitting those mini-milestones, you’ll give yourself the confidence you need to tackle those larger goals in the long run.
Use a fitness tracker
Accessorize and get healthier in one fell swoop by adding a fitness tracker to your routine. Fitness trackers, like Apple Watches, Fitbits, and Garmin watches can all make meeting your fitness goals feel like a fun game rather than a chore. To make them even sweeter, many fitness trackers come in cute colors, have patterned bands, and are even getting designers in on the action, creating stylish fitness wear you’ll be equally proud to sport to a workout or a formal event.
If wearable fitness gear isn’t exactly your style, there’s still plenty of fun, techy ways to take your workout up a notch. Using your smartphone to track workouts with apps like MyFitnessPal can also help you keep your goals and measure your progress along the way.
Don’t let 2018 be another year when you ditch your New Year’s resolutions before January’s over. Instead, implement a few easy strategies to make sticking to those resolutions easier and you’ll hit your goals in no time. What are you waiting for? A better you is right around the corner.
What are your key tips for keeping your New Year’s Resolutions?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
Guest post by Candice Schaffer
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