When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, many set New Year’s resolutions for the coming year.
Whether that be to exercise more, stop smoking, reduce one’s alcohol intake, or consume a healthier diet.
The aim is to embark on a journey of self-improvement.
I’m sure you will all know the biggest challenge is to turn these New Year’s resolutions into lasting habits.
What does the ‘regular gym goer’ say? ‘They’ll be all gone by February!’.
In most cases this is right, research suggests when it comes to exercise-based New Year’s resolutions, people start to ‘fall off the wagon’ in late January and have generally totally fallen off the said wagon by mid-February!
So, how do we make you one of the minorities who stay committed and turn your New Year’s resolutions into a long-term positive lifestyle change?
This blog will provide practical strategies and help turn your New Year’s resolutions into long-term achievements and not just a ‘flash in the pan’ which will be re-started again next January.
1. Make Sure Your New Year’s Resolutions Are Realistic
This is probably the most important strategy if you want to turn your New Year’s resolutions into a habit.
Let’s use exercise as an example.
As a Personal Trainer, I am no stranger to seeing people embarking on New Year’s resolutions.
The most important tip I can give is to be realistic.
I’ve had countless conversations over the years where a client has come to me and said ‘I’m going to come to the gym 6 days a week’.
This is often from a zero-starting position.
The problem with this is that for one it is likely to be over-training, especially if before your New Year’s resolution, you didn’t come to the gym at all!
Added to this, it’s just too big a change, too quickly, and therefore what usually happens is the client trains 6 days a week for 3 to 4 weeks, they then have a bad week and miss some sessions, and this continues until after week 6 when they have given up completely!!
Instead of embarking on this type of exercise strategy, which is destined to fail, break down your larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks.
For example, aim to go to the gym 3 times a week, or even twice.
You can then build this up further down the line if you feel you can.
This type of realistic goal is much more achievable and will mean you are less likely to ‘fall off the wagon’ after 3-4 weeks and therefore continue your New Year’s resolutions long-term.
I always have the motto ‘It is better to do 2 good gym sessions a week, around 48 weeks a year, than 6 gym sessions a week for 4 weeks a year and none for the rest of the year!!’.
2. Establish a Routine
It’s important to integrate your New Year’s resolutions into your daily or weekly routine to create consistency.
Habits are formed through repetition, so try to make your New Year’s resolutions a regular part of your life.
For example, get up 15 minutes earlier every morning to start the day with some meditation.
Read my blog on how 2 types of stress damage the body.
You could schedule to get up an hour earlier on a Tuesday and Thursday to go to the local gym to take part in a spin class.
Read my blog on Winter Exercise Motivation.
Whether it’s dedicating a specific time each day to work on your goal or incorporating it into an existing routine, a routine helps solidify your commitment.
3. Create a Plan
Try and be specific on how you will achieve your goals.
Vague statements like ‘eat healthier’ and ‘exercise more’ aren’t very helpful, they are a bit like the phrase ‘how long is a piece of string’!
For example, change this statement to ‘I want to go to the gym twice per week and complete a 45-minute walk 3 times a week’.
Read my blog on Weight Loss Tips .
You can then schedule these workout times.
I know sometimes life can get in the way and you may have to swap things around, however, if you have no plan at all most people are generally destined to fail.
If you want to eat healthier, plan your meals for the week and create a shopping list, so you have something to stick to.
This has also been shown to save money by cutting down on waste. Another popular New Year’s resolution.
4. Track Your Progress
Regularly monitor your progress to stay motivated and celebrate your achievements.
Keep a journal, use a tracking app, or set up visual reminders to gauge how far you’ve come (Myfitnesspal is a good calorie tracker, to track calories consumed, burnt and your daily steps).
For example, if your goal is to walk 10,000 steps a day, each week you manage it make sure you celebrate your achievements.
Read my blog on the recent news that 4000 steps a day could be enough!
You could have a long soak in the bath, reward yourself with a ticket to your favourite show, the list is endless!
Acknowledging your success, no matter how small, reinforces positive behaviour and encourages continued effort.
5. Embrace Setbacks as a Learning Experience
It’s natural to face challenges along the way.
I’ve already mentioned life sometimes gets in the way. Therefore, if you miss a gym session, don’t beat yourself up about it!
Or if you don’t lose the weight you wanted to lose that week don’t panic!
Instead of viewing setbacks as failures, see them as opportunities to learn and grow.
Analyse what happened and what went slightly wrong, this allows you to adjust your approach.
Remember success, is never linear, there will be setbacks along the way, but instead of seeing them as a negative, use them as stepping stones towards success.
6. Seek Accountability
My last tip, but certainly one of the most important for your New Year’s resolutions to be a success is to make sure you are accountable to someone.
This is where my work as a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Consultant is important.
I’m used as the person whom the client is accountable to, and this certainly helps success rates.
You can also share your New Year’s resolutions with friends, family, partners, or a trusted support network.
Having someone to share your journey along with providing accountability also provides much-needed encouragement.
Take Home Message
Sticking to your New Year’s resolutions requires commitment and patience.
This certainly shouldn’t be underestimated, hence why so many people fail with their New Year’s resolutions!
However, by setting realistic goals, creating a plan, establishing a routine, tracking your progress, learning from and embracing setbacks along the way, and of course ensuring you seek accountability, your New Year’s resolution doesn’t have to go the way of so many others!
With these strategies in place, you’ll be well-equipped to turn your New Year’s resolution into a lasting habit.
Remember, the journey to self-improvement is a marathon, not a sprint, so pace yourself and make sure you celebrate the small victories on the way.
If you are based in Birmingham city centre or the North Birmingham area I am available for Personal Training both in person and online.
I also provide running coaching, with weekly catchups to keep you accountable.
Check out the video on how I helped ITV Central’s Hannah Betchelet with her London Marathon Training
I can also help you improve your well-being through nutrition as a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist.
I specialise in gut health, improving energy, weight loss, and Sports Nutrition.
Please check out how the Nutrition consultation process works by clicking the link.
You can also combine both Nutritional Therapy and Personal Training to complete the well-being jigsaw.
Here’s to a successful and fulfilling year of positive change!
