Ten Step New
Year's Resolution Plan
From
BODi Fitness &
Health
Chances are, everyone reading this article has made a New Year's
resolution–but have you ever met anyone who has actually achieved what
they set out to do? Well, this year, that person will be you, if we at
Beachbody have anything to say about it! We've come up with 10 steps to help
you follow through and find success in the new year.
1. Choose a resolution
that suits you. Don't be swayed by peer
pressure or trends. For example, if you hate swimming, why would you choose the
Escape From Alcatraz triathlon? Go with a goal that's right for your.
2. Be
realistic. The most common mistake is to
shoot for the moon–aiming your sights far too high, and thereby setting
yourself up for failure. Be fair to yourself: Assess what you've been able to
achieve in the past, and work off of this baseline. The primary example of this
is the ubiquitous, "I'm going to quite smoking," a resolution that tends to get
blown off—literally—during the latter stages of a New Year's day
hangover. Make a more reasonable pledge, such as "I'm going to cut down each
month with the goal of quitting by the end of the year."
3. Make a single
resolution. We all have many aspects we'd
like to improve, but don't try and take them on all at once. Focus on one major
goal. If you're succeeding come mid-year and want to add something else, that's
great. January isn't the only time you can set goals for yourself.
4. Target behavioral
change rather than a number. You may target
something like an event or race as part of your plan, but make the ultimate
goal to change your behavior. That way if you get sick, injured, or are too
busy to participate in your event, you can still see your resolution
through.
5. Plan in
advance. Statistics are skewed by those who
make resolutions at the last minute—vowing to quit drinking while 10
drinks into New Year's Eve. These resolutions often don't make it through the
first night. Planning ahead allows you to make rational decisions about what
you are capable of. It also allows you to figure out how you're going to break
old patterns or avoid temptation.
6. Allow some
failure. It isn't realistic to think you'll
make it through an entire year without a glitch–after all, none of us are
perfect. A resolution that doesn't account for any slip-ups is one that's
designed to fail. Find ways to make up for mistakes, and don't be too hard on
yourself. Mistakes are part of life.
7. Get
support. Announce your resolution to family
and friends so that they can be there to help... and then allow them to
help. Even the strongest of us need support from time to time. For most of the
popular resolutions (exercise, diet, smoking, etc.), there are support groups
available. .
8. Change your point
of view. The mind is a powerful ally.
Re-program yours to focus on the positive effects of your resolution. Instead
of thinking about how it might rob you of a pleasure, focus on how it's going
to make you feel happier and healthier. So, instead of "cutting down on
drinking," you are "treating your body with more respect."
9. Stick to the
plan. Don't give up. Throughout an entire
year, you're bound to go through a bad stretch or two; we all do. Hang in there
and fight through it. Even if you barely have the motivation to get out of bed,
keep going. Fighting through the bad times gives you resolve and makes the good
times that much sweeter. And don't forget the Nietzschean rhetoric: "What
doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."
10. Remember the
ultimate goal. All you're really trying to
do is improve your life, right? Keep this in mind, and keep going even if you
slip on the original goal. Because what is failure anyway? You still improve,
just not as fast as you had planned, which by definition in the grand scheme of
things is not failure at all, but success. |
