5 Signs You’ll Keep Your New Year's Resolutions
The new year brings New Year's resolutions. If you’re making the same ones year after year and they're not sticking, it's time to rethink your strategy. But if you've been successful so far, these 5 signs will let you know that the resolution you made this year is a promise you can keep.
In order to become healthier, you want to make specific and achievable short-term goals. These goals become habits over time. Instead of making a resolution that you’ll lose 50 pounds this year, make a more specific goal on how you will achieve it. Some specific goals include:
- I will eat 5 servings of vegetables 3 days a week.
- I will go to Zumba class twice every week.
- I will switch from white to brown rice.
- I will make time for breakfast every day.
Here are more examples of small goals that pave the way to bigger changes.
In order to set attainable goals, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is there anything that will stand in my way?
- Do I feel capable of achieving my set goal?
- Am I motivated or excited to perform the tasks needed to achieve your goal?
I have heard the following goal countless times: I will hit the gym for 1 hour each day. After about 2 to 3 weeks life continues and you start going to the gym 4 days a week, then 3, then 2 and if you make it once a month it’s a miracle. Instead, take a good hard look at your work schedule, family commitments, and personal life and set a time frame that you can really stick to.
Whispering a promise to yourself is one thing, writing it down is a whole other ballgame. Once it’s on paper and hanging on your bathroom mirror or refrigerator door, it acts as a reminder of a promise you made yourself.
The website Stickk.com is an online contract you can make. The website was developed by Yale University economists who tested the effectiveness of making commitment contracts through field research. You can even up the stakes by putting some money on the line—and donating it if you fail to achieve your goal.
Monitoring and measuring your progress helps give you a visual on how you’re doing. You can keep a food diary or there are many online or smartphone apps that can help you keep track such as My Fitness Pal, Spark People, Fit Day, Lose It! and USDA’s Choose My Plate.
If you’re already started making any of the following excuses, chances are you’ll never stick to your resolution—and January isn’t even over!
- I’ll go to the gym or start my healthy weight loss plan tomorrow.
- I’m too tired.
- I don’t feel well.
- I have too much work to do.
It’s never too late to re-make your resolutions so they’re do-able.