If you’re like 92 percent of Americans, you’ve already failed at keeping your resolutions this year in some way or another. And if you haven’t yet, there is a pretty high chance that you will. (i.e. there’s actually a published study proving this.) We know it sounds a little harsh, but don’t worry, we’re here to help. Read on for the pitfalls that are causing you to fail and how to combat them.
1. Your goal isn’t specific enough. “I am going to lose weight.” “I am going to stop smoking.” “I’m going to eat better.” What do all of these goals have in common? They are vague! They do not detail any way to measure or assess your progress towards your goal. If you want to be successful, you need a way to check in on progress. Set up goal dates and crush them.
2. You aren’t invested enough. Everyone talks about what they want to do. We all visualize how we want to look or feel. We even talk to everyone we know about what we’re going to do for our resolutions and relate them to each other. That emotional want, however, is not enough to get you to the other side of that goal. Research shows that in order to successfully achieve weight loss goals, or any goals in general, we need to have a financial commitment attached. That means spending some money. Invest in yourself! At the end of the day, you will spend money on your health. Do it now, or regret it later.
3. You have no accountability. Making an appointment with a trainer almost guarantees that you’re going to at least make it to a workout, because that added accountability will make you stick to your appointment. At the end of the day, however you slice it, you need to have others hold you accountable for your actions. Most times, it’s not enough to hold yourself accountable. It’s the easiest way to give up on a resolution.
4. You are not maximizing your efforts. You know what you’re talking about. You go to the gym every day, plug those headphones in and away you go. You head to the elliptical first because your knees hurt. Twenty minutes of boredom, and you start looking around. That treadmill looks great because there is a TV that you can distract yourself with. Then you head over to your gym’s smoothie bar because you absolutely love their triple berry sugar spiked protein drink you can spend $7 on. Does any of this sound familiar? If you’re wondering why you’re not seeing results after spending countless hours in the gym, you should keep reading.
5. You are a Negative Nancy. Let’s face it: Human nature is crazy. We find that it’s easier to be negative and complain than it is to be positive and proactive. We are relentlessly complaining all day long. Your job. Your coworkers. Your dysfunctional family. Your piled-high debt. Your busy schedule. Your whatever. Did you know that it takes more muscle to frown than it does to smile? Well, it takes more time to succeed being negative than it does being positive.
Wow. All of these problems above sound pretty familiar, don’t they? No need to worry. We’re here to help you through them. Remember that success story from last month? That could easily be you. So how exactly are we going to get back on track with our resolutions?
1. Create S.M.A.R.T. Goals. You’ve heard of them. You’ve probably made a few. But have you used them for your New Year’s resolutions? Not if you’re reading this article. A S.M.A.R.T. goal is the perfect solution for taking the blur out of your progress. These goals stand for:
S – Specific. Instead of saying “I want to feel better,” say “I want to lose 20 pounds of body fat.”
M – Measurable. Don’t just say “I’m going to exercise every day to lose weight.” It should be more of “I am going to workout 4–5 times per week for an hour each time.”
A – Attainable. This one is just making things realistic. If you can’t physically run, don’t tell yourself you’re going to run for an hour every day. Ensure you have enough resources and time to commit to this.
R – Rewards Based. Everyone loves rewards. To further incentivize yourself, set up a schedule of them. For instance: “After I lose 20 pounds of body fat, I’m going on a shopping spree to replace all of the clothes that are currently too small for me.”
T – Time Sensitive. This is super important. “I’m going to lose 20 pounds of body fat” is not a great goal if you aren’t putting pressure of a deadline over your head. “I’m going to lose 20 pounds of body fat in six weeks from today,” however, is a realistic goal that puts the goal in check.
2. Start Small. Most grand goals are too much to change. What everyone doesn’t know, though, is that too much at once will result in failure almost immediately. Break things up into weeks: Week one: I will exercise for an hour 4–5 times. Week 2: I will exercise for an hour 4–5 times and I will eat three meals consisting of high protein/low carb foods. Build week to week and add small goals along the way.
3. Invest. Get a coach. Hire a trainer. Invest with a nutritionist. Do something! The “Sunk Costs Fallacy” is the notion that once you invest in your plan, you’re less likely to walk away from it. Hiring help is going to help take care of two problems above: maximizing your effort and keeping you accountable. Two problems solved for the price of one? Score!
4. Check-In. Using social media and other platforms to tell your story is HUGE for accountability. A simple check-in on Facebook does the trick. Your friends will see you are doing something about your life for the better, and they’re going to be there to cheer you on along the way. Post some progress notes, or just tell people how great you feel after crushing a workout. Social Accountability 101.
5. Be Optimistic. There are so many memorable quotes to draw inspiration from. One of our favorites is from Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right.” Positive mindset is everything. Don’t think the way everyone else does. Think like you, and you’re set for a successful go at your resolutions.
There you have it. Don’t fall into the traps that held you back year over year. Break the cycle. If you need help, Forward Thinking Fitness is an awesome place to start. Check us out here.
