New Year, New You?

So, that time of the year is once again upon us, to completely overhaul our lives and improve them for the better.

Only for it to be abandoned by 1st Feb (if not 2nd Jan). 

Too often this annual ritual is meant to strengthen our self-esteem and improve our lives only to leaves us in a loathing spiral of self-pity.

Telling ourselves that we're "lazy," "weak," or incapable of change and so, once again, we stuff ourselves full of crappy food and go back to beating ourselves up over & over.

Why do we fail so much year after year then?

Funnily enough, research shows that New Year resolutions don't fail due to you being a lazy shit or being unable to resist that sweet, warm, chocolaty, fudge cake.

Mmmm cake.

Where was I?

Oh yeah.

In fact, it's due to lack of planning on how we are going to achieve those goals.

What to do about it:

1.     Choose Your Goal.

Get a pen and a piece of paper & ask yourself what you'd really want to change. Then, ask yourself how you could change it. For example:

•           What can I do to improve my health?

o  Drink more water?

o  Quit smoking?

o  Avoid processed food?

o  Go the gym? How often?

2.     Don’t Just Address the Big’ens.

Think smaller, smaller changes lead to bigger results. 

Don’t just say “I’m going to lose a stone”. 

Instead focus on “I’m going to cut out sugar, fast food & fizzy drinks and regularly go the gym by 1^st March” and before you know it the weight has disappeared, almost as if by magic.

3.     Reward Yourself.

Every time you achieve a goal (i.e. eating a vegetable every day) reward yourself with something, but try to stay away from rewarding yourself with shitty food.

Instead something like new clothes. 

It works.

4.     Make Yourself Accountable.

Accountability is one of the key things to sticking to your goals.

Hiring a mentor or trainer, even telling a friend or family about your goals can massively help you stick to your goals. Need help with your goals, contact me here www.diamondhealthandfitness.co.uk

5.     Remind Yourself.

Everyday. Seriously. 

Write down your goals on a sticky note and stick them everywhere you’ll look to constantly remind yourself.

Focus on what you’ve already achieved every day. Dwelling on the how far you’ve gotten is just asking for trouble.

6.     Record It.

Keep a journal or diary of what you do or plan to do. When someone starts training with me now, I get them to record everything from every workout to what they do in the workout, to everything they eat, & even the amount of hours they sleep.

Why?

Because I’m a massive pain in the arse?

Maybe.

But one thing’s for sure it works.

7.     Give Every Goal a Date.

Every, single, goal must have a starting date & an ending date. 

So, use something like; “from the 1^st of Feb I’m going to start cutting out fast food & by the 28^th I want to have cut it out altogether”. Something like that.

It may be a challenge for you to keep to your resolutions, but if it’s for something like better health than why would that not be enough motivation to keep it up?