2012 is almost upon us and it’s that time of year when most of us try to make promises or resolutions that we want to make for the next 12 months. These promises can be easily made, but we often find it more difficult to keep them. Statistics show that the success rate for keeping resolutions can be as low as 5% depending on what the resolution is. This is especially true when it comes to fitness and weight loss.
Check out my tips below on how you can make meaningful and achievable SMARTER New Year’s resolutions that you can actually stick to:
S – Specific – The objectives must be specific. Simply saying that I want to lose weight will not work. A more specific goal would be, “I want to fit my size 10 skinny jeans.”
M – Measurable – “If you don’t measure it, how do you know you’re getting results?”
A – Achievable – Goals should be something that is achievable
R – Realistic – If you’ve never done any exercise before, setting a goal like ‘I want to run a marathon’ is being unrealistic. A more realistic goal would be “I want to be able to run a 5K.
T – Time Limits – If your goal is “I’m going to lose weight.” You must put a time limit on it as well as be specific. Instead, consider setting time-related goals like “I will lose 10 pounds by March 1, 2012.”
E – Evaluate – It is very important that we take the time to evaluate our progress and see how we are doing.
R – Reassess – The idea here is to reassess, set another goal. Goals don’t have to be set just on New Year’s. Goal setting should be an ongoing process throughout the year.
You can use the tips above to set some of your New Year results like the ones below.
- Reduce your debt: One way to work toward this goal would be to consult a financial planner and figure out how much you’ll pay each month.
- Make more time for family and friends: set a goal for how often you can get together; schedule a date night with your partner or a night out with your friends at least once a month. If you have children you can save a “Dad’s Day”
- Organize your life: You can buy a personal organizer to help you with this, or use the many apps available on many modern smartphones.
- Get fit: Work out with friends or with your partner, as this is a great way to stay motivated. You could join a gym or exercise class together. Research shows that people who train in a group perform better than if they train alone
It is important to note that the main goal of setting New Year’s resolutions is to improve ourselves in some way. This is a good time to say to yourself “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” If you’re having trouble with a goal you’ve set, reevaluate your goals or set new ones, but don’t give up.