Tips to Sticking to Your New Year's Resolutions

It's that time of year again! January 1st, the day where everything aligns and marks not only a new year, but new goals, aspirations, and dreams to achieve.

I don't have any issue with anything that gets people motivated to take action and pursue a better version of themselves.

Approximately 80% of people fail at their resolutions by the beginning of February, and the percentage continues to grow each month after that.

But if you're reading this, and you have an opportunity to be one of the few who make these resolutions, and more importantly, stick with them!

I'm talking about conquering your goals and accomplishing what you set out to do at the beginning of 2021. Actually finishing and not quitting!

I have been there before myself, excited to set a new goal and crush it in the new year...

Then, not only did I fail to follow through with the goal, but I broke the promise to myself, which killed my self confidence and made it harder to believe in myself. And while I'm not perfect, and struggle at times, I have learned a lot... some of what I learned is how to stick to goals and resolutions.

HOW TO STICK TO YOUR RESOLUTIONS

Because no one sets off after a goal hoping to fail, that doesn't make any sense.

And that’s why I want to give you actionable steps to take, to help ensure you're best year in 2021!

DIVING IN TOO DEEP

Don't do this! Smaller goals early on is best. The worst thing you can do is overwhelm yourself with a bunch of new changes all at once and you end up giving up. It's easier to make one or two small changes at a time.

ESTABLISH A DAILY ROUTINE

Get into the rhythm of doing the same thing, or something similar everyday. Experts say that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Make a goal to do the same thing for 21 and watch how easy it becomes!

REMEMBER, IT IS A LIFESTYLE

Remember that this is not just a temporary way of living. There are no quick fixes like the internet will have you believe. It’s a lifestyle that you will work to adopt after doing it for a period of time. I like mentioned above, it becomes thoughtless most days, and once you see the results, there is no going back!

SET SPECIFIC AND TIMELY GOALS

Many of us have set goals before, that were really just too vague to measure. “I want to lose weight” or “I want to save money” are goals, yes.

While these are goals, they are not specific enough for you take action with any kind of urgency. If your goals aren't specific enough there is no expectation on yourself. A better goal would be, "I want to lose 40 lbs in 6 months." That goal is measurable and realistic. That's a little over 1.5 lbs a week that can be accomplished by consistent moderate exercise and clean eating.

MAKE SMALL GOALS TO REACH BIG GOALS

How do we reach that big goal of losing 40 pounds in 6 months?

The same way we climb a mountain. One step at a time.

Once again, as listed above, we form a daily routine that is sustainable and easy to follow.

Then, we set small goals to reach. 1.5 to 2 lbs a week until we make it to 40! Breaking big goals up allow for you to focus on those day to day tasks without getting overwhelmed.

ACCOUNTABILITY

It is easy to lie to ourselves when we have no one checking us. When we fail ourselves it's easy to justify that failure in your own head, "I'm too busy", "my daughter was sick" etc.

That is where having someone to hold you accountable comes in. It could be a friend, spouse, or me. But find someone that will hold you to a high standard that can tell you the harsh truth you need to hear to keep you on track.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK

When you're doing all the right things to get you where you're trying to go, don’t forget be proud of yourself. You're the one taking action and putting in all the work after all.

Most of us are harsh on ourselves when it's something negative, but never really stop to think about all the positive steps we’ve been taking. All the moments you didn't flake out on your workout, or you chose a grilled chicken sandwich over a burger. Kudos to you for that!

BELIEF

This might be the most important ingredient for success of any goal or resolution. Without belief in yourself, you will undoubtedly fall off and fail. This is something you have to earn, it doesn't just come to you. You build belief in yourself by consistently making promises to yourself and actually following through. You are the one who decided to make a change and better your life after all.

WHY

There is a lot of talk out there about your WHY.

That’s because when someone has a goal, if they have a powerful “why” behind it, they can use that to keep them going. Some days you will be motivated and it will be easy to put the work in.

Then, there are those other days … days that you would rather do anything else than walk into the gym or hit that treadmill.

Those days where you lack motivation, you can call upon your why and use it. Use it to keep you disciplined and to stick to the plan.

Motivation dwindles just like excitement, but staying disciplined to the process will keep you moving forward.

Not every day will be easy. Not every day will be perfect.

However, if you give it a true, honest effort, and focus on moving forward, you can get there.

It may not be tomorrow or next week, but it’s all about progress over perfection.

That is how we stick to our resolutions, and that is how we win!

I CAN HELP YOU!

At LaLa Land Fitness, it is my mission to help as many people as possible get long-term, sustainable results!

So, if you have any questions, or need our help with anything at all … never hesitate to send me an email at support@lalalandfitness.com

Whether it be related to your health & fitness, New Year’s Resolutions, or something else entirely … if you need our help, we’ll do whatever we can to get you taken care of!