Tired of making achievable new year resolution and ending up demotivated every year? We have some tips for you!
Achieving your new year goal couldn't get easier
Theoretically, setting New Year resolutions are a great way to commence a new year. In practice, this annual ritual of setting New Year resolutions has become a bit of a joke, with some people betting with friends on how long one would be able to keep their resolutions. Usually, resolutions fail either because they are unrealistic or because their implementation is not planned well. Sharing here a few tips to make your New Year health resolutions achievable:
1. First things first, it's a good idea to set high goals, but at the same time, setting unrealistic goals are a recipe for failure and loss of confidence.
2. So goals like 'I will lose 20 kg in 3 months' or 'I will exercise for 2 hours every day' are doomed to fall flat. Instead set realistic targets like 'I will try to lose 3-4 kg a month' OR 'I will exercise for 45-50 minutes for 4-5 days a week'.
3. If you haven't been to the gym or exercised for years, it is advisable to start slowly, as much as your body allows you to. Then challenge yourself progressively to increase the duration, intensity and frequency of exercises.
4. Remember. Exercising for 30-40 minutes every day for just 3-4 days every week is better than exercising for 2 hours every day for 8-10 days and then not visiting the gym for the next six months.
5. Do not resort to any 'fad diets' to achieve your goals. Fad diets are not sustainable, because usually fad diets ask you to omit one of the major food groups. Such diets are not doable and infact can be harmful if followed for long. Instead adopt a holistic approach and gradually take small baby steps towards a healthier lifestyle. When in doubt, ask yourself if your decision takes you nearer or farther from your goal.
6. Chuck the 'all or nothing' attitude. The 'because I am not able to exercise for xyz reason, there is not use eating healthy' excuse for ill-eating worsens matters. Instead adopt the 'because I am not able to exercise for xyz reason, I should at least be cautious about what I eat' approach.
7. Go back to your kitchen (read Nature), prepare fresh meals from local and seasonal produce and avoid processed and packaged foods.
8. Maintain a weekly exercise-food log. Set small weekly targets, evaluate your progress every weekend and pamper yourself with some non-food reward for meeting your weekly goals.
9. Maintain an alcohol-cigarette log too. Reduce your frequency and portions progressively.
10. Make a 'to-don't do' list, it is as useful as a 'to-do' list.
11. Use technology/gadgets as a self-monitoring tool, to monitor your activity level, steps/flights taken, and calories burnt etc.
12. If you belong to the sleep-deprived community of people, and are always lethargic and sleepy, chances are that you devote some of your precious sleep hours to net surfing/gaming etc. So chuck all gadgets out of your room, ideally even your television. Get yourself 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep and you'd be ready to take on the world every single morning.
An old saying goes 'slow and steady wins the race'. So start with taking small and steady steps in the positive direction. Keep persisting and NEVER give up, because giving up is not an option AND because this journey is not about reaching a number and then going back to square one. This journey is about permanently adopting a healthy lifestyle towards a healthy YOU!
Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year!
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