How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

We’ve all been there.  January 1^st, the start of a new year.  Time to make some changes, you think to yourself – I’m going to start going to the gym/eating healthy/getting more rest this year – and stick to it this time.  In previous years, you’ve forgotten all about your resolutions by mid-February.  Well, it’s mid-February.  How have your plans held up?  Six weeks ago you wanted so badly to make this year different, and hopefully the desire to get healthy has pushed you through.  No matter where you are with your goals, here are a few tips to help you stay on track to a healthier, happier you for 2015.

First, get serious.  Getting and staying healthy involves work, and you have to be ready for it or you could end up one of the many New Year’s resolution casualties.  You are going to have to eat vegetables.  You are going to have to exercise.  And you are going to have to make time for both of those things.  Making a plan of how you can fit new, healthy activities into your schedule, such as preparing lunch at home instead of going out, or sneaking in a mid-day workout, will make all the difference.  Schedule time into your calendar as if these activities are important meetings, and then treat them that way.  Your health should be a top priority, so take it seriously.

Next, share your resolution with others.  If other people know about your plan to get healthy, they will ask how things are going, which makes it harder for you to back out.  Did you tell anyone about your plans, or just keep them to yourself so that they’re easier to back out of?  If you’re the only one who knows about your resolution to eat more vegetables, no one is going to notice when you decide to eat the last of your Twinkie stash instead.  Share your resolution with coworkers, family, and all 1,000 of your friends on Facebook.  Putting your plan out there will help keep you accountable for your actions.

And lastly, make it easier to keep your healthy resolution by making it with a friend.  Or, better yet, join a facility with group classes like our gym, CrossFit Florian, where you not only get a great workout, you also gain amazing friendships in the process.  You are much more likely to meet your diet and exercise goals when someone else is counting on you, and much less likely to order a burger if your friend orders a big salad with salmon.  Surround yourself with like-minded people you can count on.  Having even one person to encourage you through the tough times could make all the difference in your success.