For most of us, December is a time to reflect on the ups and downs of the past year, and make goals for the year to come! And there have been some major changes this past year. Whether you want to lose weight, go to the gym, eat more vegetables, or drink less alcohol, New Year’s resolutions can be a great way to kick start healthy habits. Unfortunately, close to 90% of all resolutions made January 1st fail, leaving well-intentioned goal-setters right where they started. With a few simple tips, you can make this year’s resolution last!
Evaluate, all aspects of your life
Reflect on your life and make a list of the things you find most important. From relationships, to work, health, and finance, ask yourself if you’re happy with your current situation or what you would want to change about it. This will help you establish what is most important to focus on when setting your goals.
Pick 1 not 5
Be specific, pick one resolution that you can devote all your attention to. Avoid spreading yourself too thin by focusing on what you find most important. Losing weight, going to the gym, and eating clean are great goals, but trying to do it all at once can be overwhelming. Start out by focusing on one goal at a time, then move on the next.
Set SMART goals
If you want your reach your goals, make sure they are SMART; Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time based. If you want to lose weight in this coming year, decide how much, and set measurable dates on how much you want to lose by when. Being realistic is the key! If you want to lose 20lbs in a week or two or be completely healthy to do so in one month, it might not be realistic. Aim for a more reasonable goal of 1-2lbs/week of weight loss. Set small time goals for yourself to make the task less overwhelming and more reachable. Try to remember it probably took your years of bad lifestyle choices to be at point you are at now, so it will take time and consistent work to regain your health.
Don’t beat yourself up
You don’t have to be perfect! If you miss a day at the gym, or have a burger for lunch instead of a salad, it’s okay! Mistakes are normal and provide opportunities to learn and grow. Use your slip-ups as motivation to get right back on track, and maybe even kick things up a notch! Don’t uses these small mishaps be an excuse to go back to that unhealthy lifestyle.
One of the first steps in achieving your goals is to make a plan. Make a goal work sheet!
GOAL SETTING WORKSHEET
You have goals, but how exactly can you reach them? Goals, and especially large ones, are often attained through meeting a series of smaller goals. Breaking down each goal step by step will allow you to lay out a clear and concise path to follow. With patience, consistency, and focus, you will be capable of anything!
My Goal is: _______________________________________________________________
Start date____________ Expected Completion Date______________
List Two things that will help you reach your goal?
These are Steps I will do to reach my goal: (list 4-5) activities. Example: eat healthy foods, meal plan, plan exercises, develop healthy shopping list, remove junk food from house, etc.
List 1 or 2 reasons why you are going to reach your goal and why it is important to reach your goal.
Post it somewhere in your home where you can see it every day!
Good luck and good health to you.
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