BY EMMET RUSHE: We are in week 3 of 2015.
By now, the New Year’s resolutions are in full swing.
Gyms will be buzzing with people who are fully committed to making this year the year they absolutely achieve their goals.
It is also around the 3rd week of the year that the shine starts to come off of the good intentions that some people had for their goals.
You will naturally have a bit of a fall off around this time and it increases every week until only the most dedicated are left.
So why is it that only 8% of people who make resolutions are able to stick to them?
We have to look at the way people are setting out goals for themselves.
When you are setting out and making your goals, you can’t just concentrate on what you want.
If you only concentrate on what you want, you might never actually get started.
Your goal could seem too big.
You could find reasons as to why you wouldn’t be able to achieve them and if you managed to achieve them, you might not be able to keep them, so it’s probably best not to even start.
Sound familiar?
So what can we do?
What is it that we have to change in order to keep on track with our goals?
We have to change the way we plan out our goals.
We have to stop always looking at what we want and start setting out steps to help us actually get what we want.
It is easy to say ‘I want to lose 10lbs’, but if all you do is say I want, and you never change anything in order to get there, nothing will change. Instead of saying I WANT, ask yourself;
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS? WHAT DO I HAVE TO CHANGE IN MY LIFE TO REACH MY GOAL?
It doesn’t have to be major changes either.
Andrea Bonior, Ph.D., a psychologist in private practice in Washington, DC, and author of the “Baggage Check” column for the Washington Post Express says;
“Since your supply of self-control is finite, make resolutions that require small acts of will, not weeks of vigilance.”
‘Lose 10 pounds’ sounds specific, but it’s less likely to work than behavioural goals like ’This week I’ll try to go to the gym three times, take the stairs at work at least twice, and bring a healthy lunch every day,’ “.
“You’ll feel good when you accomplish each goal, and your success will help bolster your resolve: The better you are at making small changes, the easier it will be for you to keep going.” Small steps like these are a great way to self-motivate and these small goals can help you reach your major ones.
When choosing your goals, try not to pick too many.
Doing this can quite often dilute your motivation and leave you goalless come February.
“Once you understand that you have only a limited amount of willpower, it’s easy to understand why multiple resolutions aren’t likely to work”, says Ian Newby-Clark, Ph.D., a psychologist at the University of Guelph in Canada.
Most resolutions actually require many behaviour changes. Sure, some are straightforward, like remembering to take a calcium pill every day — but a successful weight-loss program, for example, calls for more than just a decision to eat less.
You have to shop and cook differently, start or ramp up an exercise routine, maybe even ditch certain social or family events. “Thinking through these sub strategies boosts success rates,” says Newby-Clark.”
The last tip I’ll leave you with when trying to stick to your resolutions is this;
Avoid making 100% resolutions.
Don’t say to yourself that you are ‘giving up everything and that’s final.’
Let’s face it it’s never going to work.
Instead aim for 90%, this will allow for some leeway if you get stuck or caught out or end up at a family event.
One meal never ruined anyone’s goals. #TrainSmart
To keep up-to-date with tips and information on how to stick to your goals in 2015, check out my page through the link below.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rushe-Fitness/120518884715118
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