5 Ways to Stick With Your New Year's Resolutions

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Your Guide to Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of year again! Close to two weeks into the new year; trying to keep those New Year’s resolutions in check. The start of a new year is a great time to set new goals for your health and wellness.

Maybe you are focusing on goals that you didn’t follow through with last year, or maybe you are starting off on a totally new endeavor, nonetheless, the hardest part about New Year’s resolutions is not coming up with them, but instead, sticking with them.

So to help you out through this new year, we have put together a list of 5 steps that will help you stay ON TRACK this year.

1. Setting Realistic Goals

At the beginning of the year, it is common to create ambitious goals, and while the intention is great, sometimes goals that are out of reach actually hinder our actual progress. For example, maybe you decided that you would run 3 miles every day of the new year. This is quite an ambitious goal, especially for someone who maybe does not run at all. Perhaps they will successfully run 3 miles for a few days, but shortly they might be too sore to follow through. The task begins to seem far too daunting, and overwhelming, that rather than aim for a smaller, more doable goal, the person decides ti just completely quit. This sort “of all or nothing” mentality ends up leaving people feeling inadequate, and ruins the chance of small and consistent change.

This can easily be resolved by setting goals that are attainable.

Sometimes it’s better to start small, and implement more ambitious goals over time.

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2. Plan Ahead

If you found yourself scrambling to come up with resolutions at the last second, maybe it’s best to take some time to evaluate your goals and objectives. Even if you don’t have defined goals by January 1st, it may be better in the long run to take your time in really finding out exactly what you want to work on, before setting up new goals. By clearly defining the things you want to improve, you are able to go into the new year with a more definite plan. Knowing your objectives well helps you stay focused and disciplined!

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3. Accountability Partners

If your goal is working on your health, it can be helpful to find an accountability partner! Most people make exercising a priority in the new year. The initial weeks of joining a gym, or fitness club are usually exciting, but very quickly the repetitive nature of the gym can cause many people to start to slack off on their newly set goals. This is where an accountability partner comes in.

If you signed up for a spinning class every week with a friend, the odds of you canceling that class, and leaving your friend  to work out on their own are slim. Having someone keep you accountable of your fitness goals is super helpful in sticking with your resolutions. Furthermore, it gives you the opportunity to help a friend with their own goals as well! A win-win, if we’ve ever seen one.

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4. Reward Yourself!

Yes. It’s okay to reward yourself for completing objectives. By reward yourself we don’t mean forget about all your healthy habits in the sake of indulgence. Rather, if you successfully omitted fast food from your diet, celebrate with a moderate amount of your favorite sweet treat. Positive actions should be followed up with positive reinforcements. In this way, we create positive connections in our brain. Another example could be scheduling a massage for yourself, after a month long streak of working out. If you have these small rewards set in place year round, they will help motivate you to not falter on your goals. Just remember, moderation is always key!

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5. Remember that slip ups are okay!

When implementing new habits, it’s not uncommon to slip up and regress to the ways of old. When talking about our New Year’s resolutions, it’s important to be patient and forgiving with oneself. If you have slipped up on some of your resolutions, don’t let that get you off track. Instead, take a day to reevaluate your goals, and start back up the following day. Don’t let slip ups define your progress. It takes time to build new habits. The key is consistency!

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We hope that these five tips help you stay on track with whatever new goals you have set this year. For more support on wellness and health goals, reach out to our customer care team. We’re here to help our members through all facets of their health journey.

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