Make those New Year’s resolutions stick
“I’m going to start working out and eating healthy once the New Year starts.”
If that goal has been on your New Year’s resolution list for the past however many years, and you’re still seeking a way to stick to your plans, we’re not judging you. We’ve all been there.
This time around, though, things will be different because you’re going to have a plan, and you’re going to be armed with tips on how to stick to your New Year’s resolutions.
BreAnna Wiley, a personal trainer for four years, cautions that if you’re new to fitness, starting a new routine is going to be difficult.
Write your goals down
Tuekeha Huntley, who has been a personal trainer for two years, recommends writing down your goals and then writing down specific plans for your goals – basically, make plans for your plans.
“What can you do to hit those goals? Be specific,” Huntley says. “Break it down into realistic goals. Not just ‘I want to lose 10 pounds in three months,’ but write down baby steps. ‘This is the way that I’m going to lose 10 pounds in three months’ – so you’re writing down, ‘I’m going to join a gym,’ ‘I’m going to do 30 minutes of cardio.’ ”
Don’t neglect your diet
Charity Faye, a chef and wellness expert, recommends you remind yourself that you are a valuable human being and to treat yourself that way by eating foods that make your body feel good – like fruits and vegetables.
“Our diet is critical to our ability to have good moods, to think clearly, and to rid ourselves of illnesses and diseases and other factors that prevent us from having the willpower to go work out and take care of ourselves,” Faye says.
The wellness chef adds that you should listen to your body when it comes to food. Some days you may need to eat carbs, so go ahead and eat carbs, and another week you may not need to eat meat, so skip the steak.
Huntley also agrees that you can’t just work out and not change anything about your dietary habits. She says that in addition to writing down your fitness plans, write down your dietary one. Keep a food journal; that way it will be easy to track how many calories you’re consuming and slowly cut from there.
Don’t buy into fads
We’re constantly bombarded with new dietary fads or workout trends, but fitness experts recommend you steer clear of those.
“If you say ‘ I’m going to do the keto diet for 30 days’ because it’s a trend, you’re going to fall off,” Faye says. “Don’t set a goal for the next 30 days – say, ‘Today this is what my body needs; therefore, this is what I’m going to give my body.’ ”
Huntley agrees that one of the most important parts about achieving your goals is being consistent and staying on your own path, and buying into fads will distract you from your own journey.
“I feel like everyone knows the recipe to lose weight and be fit is to exercise and eat right, but they don’t have a connection with being consistent or the ability to follow through,” Huntley says.
Consistency is what will help you achieve your goals for the long term.
It’s not going to happen overnight
Starting a new fitness routine and committing to eating healthy is not a small feat, and that’s why most people think of it as a lifestyle change.
“A lot of people start a journey focusing on the big picture, saying I want to lose 50 to 100 pounds, instead of focusing on the day-to-day work,” Wiley says.
Hold yourself accountable
Grab a friend, a trainer, your neighbor – anyone to hold you accountable to your goals.
Huntley advises getting someone who will check up on you and ask if you’ve been to the gym today or ask what you had to eat.
Plan, plan and plan some more
Make your new goals a priority. Faye says people should plan their meals the same way they plan on going to work or hanging out with friends.
“We will stick to our health commitments if we plan it in our day to do so,” Faye says.