New Year’s Resolutions – Setting Goals

Another year is history, and you have navigated your way through another Holiday Season.  While the holiday season can be a time for fun and frivolity, it can also be a stressful time full of rich food choices.  Thus we all look forward to a New Year with the ubiquitous Resolution, which more often than not involves diet and exercise.  This series of posts outlines some advice to ensure those resolutions succeed, and lead to a happy and healthy New Year.

“ A journey of 1000 miles begins with one step” is an adage that rings true when embarking upon any life-changing decision.  Make no mistake, when you decide to become healthy, you are altering the very fabric of your life for the better.  Such a decision will affect all aspects of your life, extend your life, and make your life more rewarding.

However, the majority of people fail at following through on their healthy lifestyle, and I believe a great deal of failure is due to overly ambitious goals.  Here are a few tips to avoid failure.

TIP #1 – BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF

On the first day of your diet/exercise regimen, take a photo of yourself and tape it to your refrigerator or bathroom mirror.  In general, people start working out or dieting because they are not pleased with their body image.  Instead of feeling ashamed of your body or weight, use it as your motivation.  Looking at that photo ever morning will remind you of what you want to accomplish, and what you never want to be like again!

TIP #2 – SET REACHABLE GOALS

Running a full marathon, shedding 100 pounds, and fitting into a size 2 dress are all admirable goals.  However, when you are overly ambitious in your goals you set yourself up for failure.  And with failure comes frustration, frustration leads to depression, and depression will inevitably lead to unhealthy habits returning.

I advocate setting mini goals that encompass a smaller period of time.  Although perhaps your ultimate goal might be to lose 100 pounds, start by setting a goal such as losing 15 pounds in one or two months.  You will find as you progress that reaching these mini goals will increase your motivation and allow you to reach your overall goals.

TIP #3 – PERIODIZE YOUR REGIMEN

This tip goes hand-in-hand with the second tip.  We are an attention-deprived society, and following any exercise regimen or diet for long periods is a recipe for failure.  I recommend switching up your training regimen every 6-8 weeks, this will allow you to focus on developing different muscle chains and more importantly will prevent you from getting bored!!  Also, follow the same advice with your diet (after all you can only eat so much steamed fish and vegetables before you go crazy!).

Following these simple tips will have you on your way to reaching your goals for the New Year!