Keeping your Health and Fitness Goals in Check.

How are your new years resolutions holding up? A month has passed since the new year. Are you still holding strong with a new years resolution or is it faltering?
I have been thinking a lot about what I wanted to accomplish myself this year. And it made me think of why people never stick to their resolutions. Whether if it is health and fitness related or to save money, whatever it may be I think I have some suggestions that may help keep you on track to success.
1.  Keeping it sustainable and keeping it real. Many times we bite off more than we can chew in whatever we do. Go big or go home doesn’t work as well as consistent baby steps. No matter how small those steps are they will add up. Its better to exercise for 10 min a day everyday than it is to exercise hard for 2 hours in one year. So whatever goal you may have. Pick something that is manageable and realistic that you can put 90% percent of your effort into. Why 90%? Because life happens we may have obligations to attend to and that is ok. Don’t beat yourself up if you missed a day or two its ok. And that is why I say 90%. Trust me if you can do your goal 90% of the time you will achieve it!
2.  I should do this. I should do that. Take that phrase out of your vocabulary. Instead what you need to do is to find what your NEED is. For example “I need to exercise because it will give me a better quality of life.” When you find your NEED you have no other option but to do it. The word should gives you a way out. You’t really have to do it. But if it is a NEED it is a necessity.
3.  Does what you are trying to accomplish this year really sit well with your mind, heart, and soul? Really think about this. Is what you are trying to do something you want to do because you enjoy it and you realize the benefits of it? Or is it something that you have to drag yourself out of bed to do. You really just don’t want to do it at all? I have noticed this with weight loss. The people that really start to lose the weight and keep it off are the ones that are ready for it. Some may join the gym wanting to lose weight, but something hasn’t really “clicked” within them yet. The more someone chases something the harder it will be for them to attain. When they finally have that “aha” moment then they will rapidly go towards their goals. Until then it can be an uphill battle.
With all this said, does this mean you need to stop you goals? No, but I am trying to say is once we really figure out what we are looking to get out of our lives. When we find our need, our want, and enjoyment. Keeping that new years resolution is going to be a piece of cake!