That time of year is once again here where we resolve to be a better version of ourselves in the new year. For most of us we strive to lose weight, workout more, eat healthier, drink less, quit smoking, etc. Do these sound similar to your resolutions? Chances are they probably do. The new year is a great time to strive to be a better version of yourself, however, most of us will sadly not be successful in our resolutions past the very first week of the new year. That’s right, after only one week most of us will give up on our resolutions. Shocking, right?
Are Your New Year’s Resolutions Realistic?
This is because most of us strive to make too big of changes too quickly. This leads to us giving up after a very short time period because it is simply too much or too hard. Avoid falling into this statistic by asking yourself if your new year’s resolutions are realistic? Are they sustainable? Are they doable?
Small Resolutions
The best advice I can give to guaranteeing success in your resolutions is to start small. You do not have to make radical life changes all at once. Taking small steps towards a better you is the greatest way to ensure you will succeed.
For example, here are some small realistic resolutions that can help you take the first steps to improving yourself in the new year:
- Drink a full glass of water every morning when you wake up
- Decrease your alcohol intake to only one drink per day
- Limit the number of times you dine out each week to only 1-3 times weekly
- Aim for a balanced diet by making sure every one of your meals consist of a lean protein, vegetables, whole grains, and fruit
- Sit less – most of us spend far too much of our days sitting, so aim to spend less time on the couch
- Find a physical activity that you actually enjoy doing
The new year is the time to start building your goals for the year. You don’t have to achieve them all at once. Start small and plan on setting resolutions or goals as the year goes on. This will help ensure you are successful as it is easier to achieve multiple small goals over a period.
After you have achieved your initial goals, set out to achieve more, such as:
- Drinking 8-10 full glasses of water a day
- Decreasing alcohol intake to only 1-2 drinks per week
- Limit the number of times you dine out weekly to only once per week
- Begin meal planning and prepping each week
- Walk more – Make a daily walk part of your daily routine
- Choose some sort of physical activity to do at least three times a week
Remember, start with small doable goals and build on them as the year goes on!