Stick to Your New Year's Resolution Like Glue

We all have good intentions to stick to our New Year’s resolutions to be healthier, feel better, get moving & eat well - all very important goals for a successful & positive year. Inevitably, our busy schedules seem to get in the way & we find it harder & harder to adhere to our resolution, going back to our old habits, until eventually it gets put on the back burner or we give up on it completely. Failing to keep your resolution doesn’t feel good at all & is not a positive way to start your New Year.

Here are some tips to stick to your New Year’s resolution of a healthier, happier you:

  1. Be specific & realistic when forming your resolution. Instead of a general “I want to lose weight” or an unrealistic “I want to lose 20 lbs in 1 week,” choose a resolution like “I want to lose 5 lbs a month, for a total of 15 lbs by March.”
  2. Set several specific goals & realistic methods of achieving goals. For instance,

Goal 1: Lose 5 lbs. in a month.

  • I will achieve this goal by:
    • Exercising 3 times/week for 1 hour,
    • Decreasing my soda intake from 3 cans of Coke/day to 1 can/day,
    • Replacing ice cream with decaf herbal tea for my after-dinner snack.

Also, you don’t want to feel deprived by cutting out all indulgences like soda or sweets completely, allow yourself 1 or 2 “cheat” meals on the weekend to get all of those cravings out of your system, it’s all about checks & balances.

List what obstacles might interfere with you achieving your goals. Like,

Obstacle: I’m tired at the end of my work day & don’t have the motivation to exercise.

  • Strategy: I will overcome this obstacle by getting up 1 hour early to exercise before work.
  • If you’re not a morning person however, choose a more realistic strategy like: I will bring a change of clothes & go straight to the Pilates class after work where my workout partner or instructor are waiting for me & holding me accountable.
  • Substitute a bad habit with a good one that you LIKE! If you are a couch potato & can’t stand running, don’t choose running to lose weight. Try out new activities like stand up paddleboarding, swimming, or yoga & you’re sure to find one you like. If you eat junk food for every meal, but can’t stand spinach, don’t force yourself to eat spinach, explore a variety of vegetables & eat ones you ENJOY! Be creative & challenge yourself to discover a new, healthy & PLEASURABLE lifestyle.
  • Visualization is a powerful technique. Take a few minutes each day (while walking your dog or getting ready for work) to visualize yourself as a healthier, happier you. What do you look like? What do you feel like? How do other’s view & interact with the new you? How do you greet & interact with others?

Empower yourself by sticking to your resolution! Wishing you a happy, healthy & abundant New Year!

- Jessica

Wellness Tipsjessica