It only seems like yesterday that it was Christmas Eve, yet we’re almost at the end of 2012 and staring at the first glimmers of 2013. It’s around this time of year that talk turns to resolutions and the things that we want to change or achieve in the year to come.
Setting goals is a great way to hold yourself accountable and form a physical, written plan of the things you’d like to be different in the future.
Whether you do it in a journal, on a whiteboard or on our free online tracking tool you can find to plan and plot your new life, having what you want to achieve written down in front of you can be a great motivator. Plus if you join our January Health & Weight Loss Challenge – you will be set to go!
It is however, very easy to get swept up in the excitement of a fresh start and you could be forgiven for coming up with ever more dramatic resolutions (I know that I’ve been guilty of doing this MANY times!).
While it’s great to think big and get excited about making changes for the better, when the dust settles, and you realise you’re only halfway through the first day of 2013 and already struggling not to drink that coffee/eschew sugar/refuse that glass of wine/run 5 kilometres, it can become a tad disheartening.
There are however, a few easy strategies you can employ to start out on the right foot and set up your resolutions to succeed, as opposed to fade into the ether by the end of January.
Setting a (realistic) NY resolution
- Start small – Making grand proclamations may feel good but they’ve generally got more chance of falling by the wayside. Choosing a small, attainable goal means that you’re more likely to actually achieve it which is great for your confidence. There’s also no reason why you can’t continue to build on the original goal as the year progresses.
- Be specific – Specifying exactly what you want to achieve makes it easier to work out what you need to do to make your goal a reality. Instead of stating that you want to walk everyday, try setting a goal to walk for 25 minutes, four times a week (or similar).
- Plan ahead – By writing down your resolutions, you can see exactly what you need to achieve them. If you want to start a new exercise program, you may need new shoes and/or an exercise bra. Write it down, check what you need and go out and get it so you’re set up for success.
- Be positive – Starting your resolutions with a negative generally means that they will have come from a place of anger/hurt/frustration which can give you immediate motivation but will often burn out just as quickly. Instead of thinking ‘I hate my body and I hate my weight’, switch up your thinking and focus on the positives of what you want to achieve. ‘I care about my health and want to do my best for my body,’ is a positive way to start your journey.
- Celebrate success – Setting smaller, attainable goals means that you can celebrate your successes when they come, giving your confidence a much needed boost and the determination to keep going forward.
See all the details about our January Health & Weight Loss Challenge – where you can win one of 10 x $200 Myer vouchers – click here.
If you are ready to lose weight then the Lose Baby Weight plans offer a healthy and safe exercise and diet routine.
And don’t forget to check out our current promotions and discounts page to see what specials we have on this week on our Healthy Mummy product range.
