Many of us, as we all know, have as a New Years resolution to start eating healthy and exercise more, but why? Is it because you feel like you “have” to have it on your list of achievements or is it actually something you want to achieve?
As many as 50% of adults in the U.S make New Year’s resolutions, but less than 10% keep them for more than a couple of months. That’s usually because it’s hard breaking old habits, being to obsessive with specific results and having issues finding motivation.
So what can you do to maintain your New Year‘s resolutions? First of all make realistic and maintainable goals, don’t listen to what everybody else wants to achieve, find your own! When you’ve find the goals you really want to achieve start with how you will make those goals reality, a good way of making it a reality is to set up a list on how you will get to the end result. For example you can follow the SMART goal guide to get a more successful end result, it put your goals in to categories which is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and, Time-bound.
Let me explain how a SMART goal works, and then give you an example on how to do one.
SMART stand for:
Specific: What exactly needs to be accomplished? Why do I need to accomplish this goal?
Measurable: How will I know I have succeeded? How much change needs to occur? How many actions or cycles will it take?
Attainable: Do I have the resources to achieve the goal? Is the goal a reasonable stretch? Is the goal likely to bring success?
Relevant: Is this a worthwhile goal? Will it be meaningful to me?
Time-bound: What is the deadline for reaching the goal? When will I begin taking action?
A Fitness example of a SMART goal:
S= I want to improve my fitness level with running
M= Running 5 miles with no problem
A= I will run 3 days/week, varying in between duration and speed; Two 30 minute runs will be at faster speed. One 45 minute run will be at a slower speed. R= Frequent running is relevant to my other goals of gaining more lean muscle and energy.
T= 3 months from today I will have achieved it.
So if put together it would be something like this. By the end of March 2021, I will be able to run five miles. I will achieve this goal by running 3 days/week. Two of this days will be 30 minute runs at a faster speed, and one 45 minute run that will be at a slower speed. This technique is good to use for all your goals, not only your New Year’s resolutions. So give it a try and make your goals your reality!