Tips for a Successful New Year’s Resolution

Every year New Year’s resolutions are made and by February 1 the new gym goers and dieters have given up. Here are some tips to help you reach your goal for the New Year. Planning- Most people who make a New Year’s resolution make them without planning how to achieve their goals. Mark your calendar! If you want results then mark your calendar and set a realistic time to complete your goal. If you want to lose 20 pounds then mark your calendar for a minimum of 9-15 weeks to reach this goal. This can be achieved by setting weekly goals to lose 1-2 pounds. When I did this I lost 68 pounds in 28 weeks. Minimize Don’t try to set multiple goals instead set one goal and once you’ve achieved that goal move on to the next goal. Focus on small steps to achieve your goals. If you overwhelm yourself with many goals ultimately you’re setting yourself up for failure and frustration. Trying to do a complete overhaul on your life at once can actually send you spiraling down a tunnel and cause more problems, weight gain, or unwanted stress. Accountability Tell someone about your plans. Find someone you can trust who will encourage and support you during your journey to reach your goals. This person will check in with you periodically to see how you are doing and give you an extra push when you’re lacking motivation. Signing up for a challenge, boot camp, and having a workout partner can be very beneficial when it comes to achieving your goal. Journal Keep a journal to chart your progress? This can be a great motivator when you are struggling with your goal. When you go back and read your earlier posts it helps you measure just how much you’ve accomplished. Keeping a fitness journal and a food journal are great too. The Fit Book is a good journal for someone just beginning a workout program. This journal can track both nutrition and fitness. It tracks your progress for 12 weeks the same amount of time as a Skinny Mom Challenge. Take Pictures If you are trying to reach a weight loss goal take before pictures. Once you are halfway to your set completion date then take another picture. Then take your final pictures on your completion date. When taking pictures always take them in the same outfit; it is best to wear as little as you feel comfortable wearing. This way you can actually see the results. Take a front, side, and back profile picture each time and be sure that the pictures are taken as close to the same distance as the originals. This will also help to give a true measurement of your losses or gains (building mass). Have a Reward Planned Plan your reward, purchase it and give it to a friend or family member you trust. Once you’ve achieved your goal then your they can give you the reward. Don’t make your reward food or dinner out. Rewards shouldn’t be based on food not for you and not for children. This can cause you to blow all of the hard work you have put into reaching your goal. Believe it Be it! Ever since I read the book Believe it Be it!; I understand the importance of positive self talk. Don’t talk down to yourself. Believe that you will reach your goals and imagine what you will look like. Focus on this vision when you are training, when you are tempted by bad foods or when you’re friend tells you it’s ok to cheat. Having a mental picture is important and can be a big motivator for some. If you can’t imagine it then find a picture of yourself when you were the happiest and post it to your bathroom mirror or someplace you will see it every day as a reminder of your goal. Get Help If you don’t know what you’re doing then seek help. Don’t try to do it alone. There are many fad diets and so much miss information out there today. It’s important to seek help if you truly don’t feel comfortable going alone. Find a personal trainer or a weight loss coach to help you achieve your goals. The Skinny Mom Challenge offers weight loss and fitness coaching to help people reach their goals. The Skinny Mom Challenge also offers networking among it’s challengers to provide motivation, inspiration and encouragement along your journey. Best of luck with your weight loss and fitness goals for the New Year and New YOU!