26 Dec Holding On to Your Resolve
The start of the New Year always brings about some serious reflection. We think about what has happened in the past, and what we’d like to change in the future. But, from what I’ve noticed, human beings usually tend to be two things: overcritical and unrealistic. For example, I’ve often sat down to write up my New Year’s resolutions and found myself with a list that looks something like this:
“This year, I will go to the gym EVERY SINGLE DAY. I will do pushups during the commercial breaks! I will NEVER eat another cookie! I will fit into the jeans I wore as an 8th grader! I will never eat fast food again! I will count every calorie, watch every carb, and note every morsel that enters my mouth. I will be the picture of good health…and I won’t tell a soul, just to surprise everyone!”
As you can probably guess, around January 7th, these goals become a bit daunting. “My favorite restaurant has a new special…ok, I’ll just try it! Wait, these 8th grade jeans are smaller than I thought…maybe I’ll just pretend I didn’t set that goal. This calorie-tracking app is the most obnoxious thing I’ve ever dealt with. Hmm, looks like it just uninstalled itself. Weird.”
Pretty soon, I’m left with a jumbled mess of half-planned fitness schemes and nowhere closer to ANY sign of success. Does this mean I’m a failure? Actually, no. It just means that I need to be a bit more humble. I know myself, I know my limitations, and I need to take those into account when I make my goals! This year, I ‘m changing it up and expecting some real results. And, because life is better when others are happy, I’m sharing these game-changers with you guys!
Tip #1: Don’t Get Too Big for Your Britches.
There is something to be said for starting small. Setting small goals that can be reached in a short amount of time not only helps measure progress more quickly, but gives a boost of confidence! Isn’t it so much nicer to look back on the week with pride when you planned to exercise 3 days and managed 4, rather than discouragement that you only worked out 4 days out of your ideal 7? Be kind and let yourself have victories more often!
Tip #2: Focus on One Thing at a Time.
Are you trying to learn ballet, run a marathon, and enter the Strongest Man competition all at the same time? Gooooood luck. Of course you should work to improve yourself in a variety of areas, but remember that you have a limited amount of time and energy. Too many divisions of your attention can hinder you from excellence in one category, proving true that old saying, “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
Tip #3: Tell a Friend!
Encouragement and validation from outside sources is VITAL. Maybe you’re embarrassed at starting a fitness routine, or maybe you’re a little ashamed at your diet, but it’s important that you find someone to trust with your goals. They can provide support and motivation that you’re doing a good job and keep you from falling into bad habits. Working out or making healthy meals with a friend is not only a great way to strengthen your resolve, it will strengthen your relationship! Know that you are not alone, and use the people around you to reach even higher!
Tip #4: Don’t Give Up!!!!!
You will probably feel down at times. There will be days or weeks when you just can’t make it to pilates, and there will be times that the pastry shop calls too loudly to ignore. You are a human and this means that you will fail. But falling is what got you here making goals in the first place, right? Getting up and moving on is what achieves them! Remember that every day is another chance to start fresh and improve. Even if you’ve broken your resolution by February, if you start it up again and keep going, no one will ever know!
We at Prolean Wellness hope that this year is different for you. We hope that you have a year full of joy and accomplishment, and that by this time next year, you will be in a place– physically, mentally, emotionally, whatever—where you are happy and ready to start on the next round of challenges! To help with this, we are now offering a maintenance program called “Keep It Off.” This program provides access to our staff of nutritionists at a low cost to make sure that all your hard work doesn’t go to waste. You can count on us to be there for you and keep you on track, leaving you free to tackle other projects with your efforts. Make the most out of your life, and do it now!
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