New Year’s resolutions are one of those traditions that are supposed to be good for you and that oftentimes are not. But the truth of the matter is that for most people, making an unrealistic New Year’s resolutions generally sets you up for failure.
If you want to make a New Year’s resolution that you’re actually going to keep, one strategy you can use is to make a resolution that doesn’t put all the pressure to go through with it or to reach the goal on you. This is particularly true if your New Year’s resolution is about staying physically fit.
Tip #1 – Don’t wait until January 1st
First, if you make a New Year’s resolution to get in better shape, start right away! Be sensible about your holiday eating and drinking habits. There is absolutely nothing wrong with not taking a second plate at a holiday dinner party. In fact, you might be able to cut out 1,000 calories from your evening just by skipping that second serving.
There’s also nothing wrong with having something to eat before you go to a big feast. You don’t have to tell anyone you did it but, if you can sneak in an apple, some fruit or some healthy high-fiber food, it’ll be a lot easier to avoid overindulging when you’re at the dinner table.
Tip #2 – Plan ahead
Planning ahead to deal with the temptations of the holidays really can make a difference. For example, you’ll probably be aware of the fact that your time is going to be much more limited when the holidays come around. To combat the temptation to forgo your usual workout routine, go ahead and plan on cutting back on the time and/or intensity.
If you can maintain your weight over the holidays, a resolution to get in better shape when the New Year comes around will be much more likely to be one that you can keep. And remember that it’s tougher to lose weight than to gain it so don’t put yourself behind just be struggling through the holidays.
Tip #3 – Make gradual changes
You might consider turning your New Year’s resolution into something you can do gradually. For example, instead of resolving to get in better shape, instead commit to attending a Boot Camp. If you do this, the entire process of getting and staying in shape is something that you’re going to get assistance with via our personal trainers. This means you don’t have all of the pressure to figure out what kind of workouts you’re going to do, how you’re going to change your eating habits and so forth put on you.
Attending a boot camp is not a hard resolution to keep and it can also be much more productive than trying to diet or exercise on your own. And because boot camps take place throughout the year, making a small change like getting into a routine can result in a big change to your waistline or lifestyle.
