Workout song... Push - Strange World
Don’t let New Year’s good intentions go to waste
WE ARE fast approaching a time when nearly two-thirds of New Year’s resolution setters will ditch their plans and slip back into the old habits that less than a month ago had them yearning for a fitter, happier and healthier self.
All that early-January enthusiasm, all those great intentions are becoming distant memories.
Studies show that anywhere between two-thirds and 80 per cent of us abandon our resolutions within a month.
So what can we do to reduce that fail rate? And why do so many of us lose the will to carry on?
Here are a few reasons why we struggle to stick to our resolutions - and what we can do to change that.
One of the biggest problems when it comes to New Year’s resolutions is we often make very broad promises.
For example, we say we want to ‘get fit’ or ‘improve our diet’, without really developing a roadmap to get us there. Lining up a more tangible target is the key to staying on track. And it’s not too late to salvage this year’s resolution. So, if you are new to running, set a target date for your first 5k run.
Look out for opportunities to hit that goal, such as participating in your local park run, and get involved straight away in that community.
Try volunteering at first and see how much fun everyone has on their way around the course.
Then, as you build up your fitness, try walking the course, or part of it, before finally breaking into a jog.
Before you know it, you will have done your first 5k.
The sense of accomplishment, coupled with the friends you’ll undoubtedly make along the way, will only harden your resolve to keep going throughout the rest of the year and beyond.
As for an improved diet, why not aim to munch through your five fruit and veg per day?
Add more colour and less of the processed stuff to your dinner plate. Nothing too dramatic, but something small yet significant that can act as a starting point.
Let’s face it, New Year’s resolutions are a bad idea right from the off. Early January is hard enough without diving headfirst into your uncomfort-zone.
The weather is grim, Christmas is over, decorations are down, schools and work are back, bugs and viruses are doing the rounds and everyone is broke.
So why not make today your first of January?
Or tomorrow. Or Friday.
Let’s ditch the idea that, because you haven’t run a marathon or developed a set of bulging biceps by now, you have failed in the resolution you set.
Now is as good a time as any to start – or re-start.
And with January almost behind us, and the pressure to get stuck into your resolution like your peers lifted, you are probably mentally more ready to commit to a challenge.
So jogging isn’t your thing? Try cycling. Even better, head down to your local gym and join in a spin class. Working out with others is very motivating.
Or maybe cardio workouts just aren’t for you. So try resistance training.
Hook up with one of the personal trainers in your gym and they can point you towards a workout that can help you meet your goals.
Being flexible and accepting that there is more than one way to skin a cat can help you stick to your broader resolution. Switch up that 5k run to 5kg heavier on the bench press, or five more push-ups. Again, just because we are coming towards the end of January doesn’t mean you have to wait another 11 months before resetting your resolution.
Commit to a new regime now, don’t set the bar too high – set one mini-goal, then another, then another…
And enjoy the process.
Don’t get bogged down by arbitrary dates, such as January 1, and don’t lose heart if you fail to hit a goal on time; it will happen if you stick at it.
Also don’t give up on your health and fitness goal just because a certain activity or food isn’t for you.
Find something that you do enjoy and take it from there – and we promise that you will be a fitter, happier and healthier you by next Christmas.