It’s that’s time of year again, time to start fresh. Out with the old and in with the new. A clean house, a clean diet, a new workout routine and a fresh new attitude towards life. Unfortunately, the cruel reality is that 80% of resolutions fail by mid-February, over 20% don’t even make it through the first week, and over 40% don’t make it to February 1st.
So this year, commit to do it differently. Real lifestyle changes that are sustainable, effective, and enjoyable. Resolutions that work.
The most important thing is to have realistic expectations. For example, if your goal is to lose body fat, plan on losing 1 pound a week, no more. Realistically, it’s very difficult to lose more than that without losing lean muscle mass and depriving yourself, which is not sustainable. If it’s not sustainable, it won’t last, and you’ll end up feeling very frustrated and going in circles. The goal is sustainability, not quick fixes.
In addition to realistic expectations, you need to have a realistic plan. If you know you’re not a morning person, don’t try to convince yourself that you are going to workout every morning. If the nights are crazy with your kids sports, don’t try to commit to a nighttime regime. Find a time that you know is sustainable, commit to that time, block off your schedule, and make it happen.
Same goes for going to the gym. If you have a habit of skipping the gym due to work, traffic, kids, or whatever reason, then put a home gym in your house. If you know you won’t skip a workout if you have an appointment, then hire a trainer. If you know you’re going to be better off working in a group and feeling accountable to your partners, then do buddy training or small group training. Making it convenient will make it sustainable. If you know your mornings are hectic or you need to ease into the day, then have the gym bag ready the night before, and have your gym clothes out and ready. Set yourself up for success, and once you have your plan nailed down, stick to it!
Most importantly, trust the process and stay away from following too many influencers on social media, or discussing your goals and regimen with too many acquaintances. If you hire a nutrition coach, trust the process. If you hire a personal trainer, trust the process. So many times people start a new plan but because they don’t see instant results they start looking at way too many different routines and listening to way too many opinions, and before you know it, they are conflicted and confused and then discouraged. Stick to the plan, trust the process, and stop scrolling. Your mind and body will thank you.
Don’t allow so much of your energy go to focusing on the outcome. Learn to enjoy the process. Try new workouts or even just new exercises, try new recipes, focus your energy on your new lifestyle, your new habits. Before you know it, it’ll be a new you. A best you.
