It's that time of year when we decide what changes we want to see in the New Year. Whether it's fitness goals, healthy goals or personal achievements, we all seem to have a strong beginning, but then somehow life gets in the way and our goals get further and further away. Let this be the year you follow through with those resolutions from start to finish! Here's 5 tips to help you stick to your goals.
- Get Social with Your Goals
- Clearly Defined Goals
- Have Patience
- Put it in Your Schedule
- Don't Beat Yourself Up
Get Social with Your Goals
Write down each goal on a sticky note, white board, diary, iCal, etc. the more places you see it, the more likely it is to stay on your mind. Give yourself alerts on your phone, and tell your family and friends too so they can offer extra support. The more people you get on-board, the more reminders you'll have to stick to them. Try to get someone to join you on your quest too! Having a buddy is always helpful and you'll both work to motivate each other.
Clearly Defined Goals
Make your goals SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time based. Telling yourself that you're going to get in shape is vague and you'll find yourself asking what it actually means. Try making it more specific, like reaching a percentage of body fat, be able to run so many miles, run your first marathon. Set specific goals and give yourself a timeline to reach them, Like, 3 weeks to be able to run 3 miles without stopping, give yourself until the end of the month to do 50 push ups! And make sure you track your success. Keep a journal and track what exercises you do, how you felt after and set goals and targets for each week to achieve your end goal.
Have Patience
You may be working your butt off to achieve your goals, but always remember that these changes won't happen overnight. It takes time for change to happen, but don't let that deter you away from your goals. Each week you will see progress, even if it is small, like maybe walking up a hill won't leave you as out of breath like it did last time. Small changes lead to big changes, so don't be too hard on yourself.
Put it in Your Schedule
No excuses, if you really want it to happen, make the time! Create a schedule for yourself and stick to it. If you're worried about spending too much money, create a budget for yourself to make sure you stick to it. Get your family and friends involved so they can give you some extra motivation if you're not feeling your gym session one day. Let your new schedule become a routine!
Don't Beat Yourself Up
Don't worry if you decided to have that extra brownie! No one is perfect, so if you missed that gym workout for a week because you were busy, or ill it's ok. We all have ups and downs so don't be hard on yourself. Allow yourself a treat or a rest but make sure you keep those goals on your mind and get back on your plan.
source: boobydoo.co.uk