Sticking with New Year’s Resolutions Throughout February and March
Hey Angels and Alphas,
Every year, millions of people around the world make New Year’s resolutions. According to recent surveys, on top of that list of resolutions remain the goal to improve fitness and diet, lose weight, and lower down on that list, save money.
Each one of those goals is a noble one, but what other studies have shown us is that the majority (about 2/3) of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions within a month.
And it’s understandable – making lasting changes to your life isn’t easy.
But this year, you’ll be armed with five of our best strategies for making your resolutions stick past the month of January.
Let’s jump right into it.
#1 REEVALUATE YOUR GOALS ON A WEEKLY AND MONTHLY BASIS.
The one-month mark into the year is an excellent time to reflect on all your resolutions. Are they realistic? Do they serve you? Are they still in line with what you hope to achieve? Answering these questions will help you determine if you’re on the right track.
There’s absolutely no shame in tweaking your resolutions if this will allow them to better fit your needs or schedule. Or you can even dial back certain goals if you’ve found them to be unproductive or unrealistic. Being ambitious and having goals is great but setting and achieving a simple goal is better than making and dropping a goal that’s overly ambitious.
#2 GO BACK TO YOUR WHY.
Resolutions are born from the desire to make a positive lifestyle change. That’s why so many goals include getting fit, eating better, becoming more organized, or taking control of your finances. However, there is often a more important ”why” that lurks just beneath the surface of these simple concepts.
Think about it – what really compelled you to make your resolutions? Maybe it was feeling healthier. Having more energy. Getting out of bed more easily. Feeling more confident. Or maybe you want to improve all the vital markers from your last physical exam so you can guarantee better health and longevity. The exact “why” is yours; it’s personal, and that’s what makes it so powerful and so special. But we guarantee digging deep to find that reason will remind you of all the effort you’ve put in so far… and motivate you to move forward.
#3 MIX IT UP and TRY NEW THINGS
If one of your resolutions happens to be eating healthier, you’ll be happy to know that there are endless possibilities for you when it comes to finding new, healthy meal options. You can flip through your favorite magazines or browse countless recipes on the Internet. Some websites even allow you to find recipes based specifically on your health and fitness goals. For example, you can try out vegetarian recipes, high-protein recipes, and so much more. If you’re counting calories, all the better. You can log recipe numbers directly in your calorie log.
#4 ALWAYS KEEP YOUR WORKOUTS FRESH
Exercising more has always been a great goal. If you’re someone new to fitness, you might start off with a walking routine and move on to cardio and weightlifting. If you’re someone more accustomed to exercise, you could try jogging, strength training, HIIT, or even a Pilates class.
All these options will be vastly beneficial to your body, but if you do the same workout each time, you’re more likely to run into a plateau or lose motivation. Instead of relying on all the same old movements, try new things.
There are countless resources available online that can help you make that happen. You can find workouts, types of training, and new exercises you can add to your routine and use them as inspiration and motivation for when you’re getting stagnant with your current routine.
#5 MORE ACCOUNTABILITY
It’s very easy to fall off the resolution wagon once February rolls around. But still, one healthy month is better than nothing. But if your goal is to make lasting, positive changes, it will be helpful to build more accountability measures inside your goals. You can schedule time a few times a week so you can evaluate your progress or just keep a journal to note how well you fare. Both will be great ways to check in with yourself and your progress.
One of the best ways you can stay accountable is involving your friends and family into your resolutions. Let them support you and hold you accountable for those days when you think you’re close to giving up. They won’t let it happen.