5 Ways to Make Resolutions and Goals Stick (even when it’s hard). How I’m working to make habits out of realistic fitness goals in 2019 even when it’s not the easiest thing to do.
Can I ask you guys a question? Who else has felt a massive amount of overwhelm surrounding the beginning of 2019? I know for me – and this is of my own doing – I have listened to tons of podcasts, read a few books and articles, made some plans, filled out the worksheets and planners, watched Tidying Up, and felt the motivation and inspiration. I love the beginning of a new year, and while I completely understand that you can literally start over any day, any time – there’s just something magical and super motivational about a new year.
Every year before this my health and fitness resolutions and goals have always been centered around numbers – pounds lost, inches lost, dress sizes, calorie or macro counts. It’s always been from a vanity standpoint, you know? And while I’m a firm believer that – done in the right frame of mind – losing weight for vanity isn’t always a bad thing, I also have a track record of it not working out the way I want. Why you ask? Two simple words:
LIFE HAPPENS.
Kids get sick. I get sick. Work gets stressful and super busy. I get tired. The house isn’t clean. The dogs try to knock me over while I’m working out. I’ve overcommitted. I get bored. I make subpar food choices when I’m burning the candle at both ends. Travel happens. The list goes on and on and on, and then all of a sudden I’m 35 and it’s 2019 and the fitness level I always wanted to be at is slowly fading away.
This year I’m making a change, and it’s starting with how I’m approaching my resolutions and goals in the area of fitness. While I know every day won’t be perfect, here are 5 tips I’m using to keep my health and fitness resolutions and goals happen in 2019:
- Set a smaller goal in addition to the larger goal. For example, instead of just saying “I want to be healthy,” define what that means and set a smaller goal to get there. My goal is to have more mobility/flexibility this year, but that can be daunting, so I broke it down to “I will do 10 minutes of yoga/stretching a day.” I always have 10 minutes to devote to something, and making that goal smaller makes it so much easier to keep.
- Invest in something new. I’m not one to ever want to spend money without good reason, but I also know that if you don’t have some skin in the game then it’s harder to to commit. Get a new sports bra, some new leggings, or some new training shoes to help you commit and even look forward to your fitness goals even more.
- Block off the time. I have such a hard time actually finding time to commit to things; however, when I block out time that’s specifically for exercise then it makes it much more non-negotiable. I can then plan my pre-workout meals, water consumption, work, play time, etc. to make sure that I can have the best workout possible!
- Give yourself some grace. For me, it’s hard to travel and keep the same sort of diet and exercise regimen as I have at home. Rather than beating myself up, I choose to extend a little bit of grace so that I can enjoy our travels without having anxiety over whether I’ve done it all “right” or not. In the end I want to remember having FUN and enjoying the experiences life has to offer over whether I performed 100% all the time.
- 80/20. Basically this means eating clean and moving well 80% of the time, and allowing some wiggle room (theoretically 20%) for indulgences along the way. This has been so key to me not hyper-focusing on being super healthy, but rather enjoying both the healthier choices AND indulgences along the way! I recommend finding your magic ratio, but when you know you’re “allowed” to indulge now and again, it makes it so much easier to a) choose those indulgences wisely, b) make healthier choices in the meantime and c) not feel any guilt or anxiety for the times you choose cheesecake over a bowl of berries!
There you have it – some simple ways to make those resolutions stick! I’d love to hear from you – what are some tips and tricks you have to make sure you’re keeping those goals and resolutions stick?
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