5 Do or Die Ways to Keep YOUR Fitness Resolutions

Most of us started the New Year feeling a little puffy from all the holiday treats. We were ready to eat healthy and ready to bring on the New Year with new fitness resolutions — resolutions to lose weight, eat healthy and lay off the potato chips. However, after the first week of eating healthy and getting active, many of us probably lost sight of our resolutions — but that’s OK — we’re here to offer up a few tips that can get you back on track and locked in to keeping those fitness resolutions:

1 – Don’t let your eyes get bigger than your plate.

We all know how easy it is to eat. It’s kind of what we’re designed for, after all. We eat when we’re bored, we eat when we’re stressed and we eat when we’re with friends.

The trick is knowing when to say when. Do we need those seconds? Is a sleeve of Oreos REALLY a serving size? Let’s not let our eyes get bigger than our plate. Eat small portions. They are an easy way to keep your goals (and calories!) in line without an increase in stress.

“Goal-getting matters. And writing down the brave acts and bold dreams you intend to accomplish will provide the spark to get them done.” -Robin S. Sharmate

2 – Write your goals down.

You may have heard this one but when we write down our goals, we become accountable. Plus, writing down goals shows investment, and forces us to put our dreams on paper, making them one more step toward reality.

Put your written goals in a place you often see for a daily reminder, then switch up that location every week or so to avoid that list becoming background noise.

A study done by Gail Matthews at Dominican University found that 70 percent of those who wrote down their goals and sent weekly updates to a friend were able to accomplish their goals.

3. Team Up!

Helping others and being helped in return — having a support system — changes everything. You become not only accountable to yourself but to others. Teaming up ensures you’re not alone in your fitness goals. You’ll have a sense of comradery with your accountability partner, which can help your motivation.

4. Get out of your own way.

We often create our own obstacles: “I can’t”, “I don’t have time”, “It’ll be hard”. Obstructions we place in our own path can be the ones that trip us up despite our best intentions. Recognize your habits and try to understand the negative habits. Understand that you can change.

If you find yourself giving in to a late night cookie, get rid of the cookies in your cupboards or fit them into your calorie goals. If you don’t have motivation at night to exercise, get up and exercise in the morning. If you gorge yourself with unhealthy food when you eat out, plan your meals and eat at home a little more often.

5. Expect missteps.

Let’s be clear- we’re talking missteps, not failure.  We will all have times of weakness or lack of motivation, but we should be ready to move on from those times instead of letting a small misstep like a missed workout or eating a whole cake in one sitting put us into the ditch. If you’re traveling or going on vacation and know you’ll be eating out a lot, plan for it. Don’t beat yourself up. You’re on vacation after all. The trick is being OK with it all and having a plan AFTER vacation.

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” -Thomas A. Edison

When you have a plan, you won’t feel the shame of “failing” that typically keeps you from pressing on. So, keep pressing on. Have a plan. Accept missteps. Do the best you can and don’t give up on achieving your fitness goals.

This is your year, after all.

Study information found at: http://www.dominican.edu/dominicannews/study-highlights-strategies-for-achieving-goals