Is It The New Year Yet?

Every year after the December holidays, most people resolve to take control of their lives and start exercising and/or dieting. We want to get past the overindulgence of the holidays leading up to the new year. We start with extra candy at Halloween, a little extra stuffing or mac and cheese at Thanksgiving and then a few extra cookies at work or desserts at holiday parties during Christmas. There are so many resolutions that are made in January and then fall apart very quickly.

How do you resolve the pitfalls and why not start now? If you go into the next three months with a mindset to start now, you may avoid putting on extra pounds (on top of current weight) that you will have to lose starting in January. Here are some tips:

Set realistic goals
When deciding to make a change, the first step is to set realistic goals. Making unrealistic or inflexible goals is one of the reasons so many people abandon their plan before it starts. If you want to lose 50 pounds, you have to start with the first 5 in a realistic time frame. Get past that hurdle and move on.
Create a step by step plan
Setting your goal is your starting point. Breaking the goal into smaller manageable steps is one key to success. Focus on day to day behaviors that will help you achieve your long term goal. Choose simple activities that you can track each day or week. For example, if you want to start exercising decide which days in the week your are going to add that time in. Schedule it and stick to it.
Share your goals with friends or family
Avoid keeping this goal to yourself, especially if you have struggled with it in the past. Enlist support from your friends or family. It is much easier to keep on track with your workout or dietary changes if you have a buddy. Sharing can help you feel more accountable for your behavior and therefore more motivated to achieve your goal.
Stay flexible
Flexibility is another key to success. Expect that your plan will change. When there are occasional setbacks, be willing to make adjustments as needed to get back on track.

Let your New Year's resolution start now and avoid all of the extras!