A New You - How to win the New Years’ resolution game
Here we are again, another New Year. We ate, we drank, we became merry over the Christmas period and we’re now headlong into full New Year resolution mode. The January diet and detox adverts are back again. The gym membership adverts are at a peak. The ‘truth about diet and exercise’ TV shows are repeating again. The Instagram ‘look at my plate’ weight-loss recipes start to go a bit wild. Don’t you think it’s all becoming a bit ‘samey’ and predictable?
Have you ever noticed the test subjects on most of these TV diet programmes, are usually ready to quit in less than a month? Seriously, who wants to retain a daily 800 calorie restrictive diet for the rest of the year? Definitely not me! Our body’s biological processes and our minds are much more complex than we think.
Similar applies to those of us who choose to join a gym in the New Year. We turn up, get the induction and the free sessions, receive the training plan, and then it’s up to us to motivate ourselves to return and go through the same patterns each week. But do they provide the lasting results that we expect?
I’m writing this article today, not to put you off your New Years’ resolutions or your future goals and hopes; but to more importantly help you with success for the rest of the year.
During my gym based years, I often met a number of very enthusiastic people for their first consultation. Many of them would set some impressive weekly targets to visit the gym, attend a class, swim, play tennis etc. It all sounded great in principle, but when ‘life’ duties called, would all these goals be realistic and achievable? Here’s a basic example below of someone’s weekly fitness goals:
I’m not saying this exercise plan is wrong, lacking in balance or substance... (Some plans suit certain objectives, but not others.) It will definitely suit a small minority of completely driven ‘gym bunny’ types who have the time, but for the ‘busy’ majority it might be difficult to maintain if your brain isn’t in a consistently positive mindset.
Imagine if you set these goals for yourself, but you eventually drifted away from completing your sessions. Follow up texts, emails, app messages etc may not be enough to lure you back. Instead the common excuses come up: Long working hours today, family commitments, travel, stress, illness and fatigue.
Now consider what a typical gym membership costs. In the first two weeks, if you’re like Boris; you’ve agreed to pay a £40 a month direct debit membership for 12 months (£480 PA) - But after six weeks, you spend more time at work; your motivation and well-being drops. You stop attending for the remaining ten months. That’s £400 down the drain. No success or real results. Did you achieve your original New Year’s resolution of getting fitter for the event that you was aiming to enter?
My point isn’t to deter you from joining the gym, or spending money on your fitness and yoga classes. My point is – make sure you stay focused and use your memberships! If you find it difficult staying motivated, ask questions. Speak to a coach or your group instructor to learn ‘how’ to help you return to your sessions, or make them more interesting.
“We all drop in and out of motivation, and our mindset changes regularly - nobody is perfect.”
Let’s face it, we are all creatures of comfort – we all drop in and out of motivation, and our mindset changes regularly (nobody is perfect). The 21st century was also supposed to be an age, where technological advancement would allow us to work less and have more free time for our families and for personal health and well-being. Sadly, it’s not arrived yet, but what can we do about it in the meantime? What are my top tips for success for you this year?
Keep your resolutions and goals simple
Make your goals ATTAINABLE and REALISTIC (think in terms of SMART goals – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely). This doesn’t have to be a corporate chore, like completing your end of year staff appraisal form, or your tax return. Just be totally honest with yourself. Do you really think your strict diet plan and your proposed 10kg weight-loss is going to be attainable within three months or a year? If the goal feels too immense – what do we do? SIMPLIFY.
Break the complex problem down into smaller chunks and focus on something you can definitely achieve in the meantime, but try not to have your ‘fingers in too many pots’. You might multi-task your home and work life, but you don’t need to complicate your health and fitness goals. Your focus might be only on settling ONE new habit during January and February, on one day each week rather than trying to set five or six different ones that you secretly know you can’t manage.
Review your plan regularly
Don’t just take your gym programme, walk away and forget about it. Pencil in a review with your personal mentor/coach or instructor. Do it weekly, monthly, whatever it takes. There doesn’t have to be any anxiety or guilt if you’ve gone off the rails, or neglected your health for months. We’ve all been there, so don’t worry about it. Just don’t wait until the next New Year to get back on track. If something isn’t working, or you’re not getting the results, question it. If you’re not enjoying your current gym sessions and feeling a bit like a lonely Bridget Jones on a bike, speak to someone about tweaking your programme to make it more interesting. You don’t even need to visit a gym to have a review – I usually do them with my clients over a relaxed coffee in a local café. Habits take time to form.
Make time for yourself - Work from home, or start and leave early on one day each week
‘But I don’t have the time!’ is the common excuse. Of course you do! How many minutes a day do we spend, like zombies, hooked to our phones sifting through facebook, twitter, Instagram and our whatsapp messages? Pick one day a week where you make a promise to yourself and say: ‘THIS HOUR, THIS DAY IS FOR ME!’ Nothing, absolutely nothing is going to come between you and your well-being; unless you’ve recently signed up for one of the latest new jobs at No. 10 Downing Street, and you’re willing to sacrifice your well-being and future health. Set your boundaries and priorities. This is your day where you find time to fit in your weekly run, swim, personal training session, pilates or group fitness class. But you’re going to stick to it diligently.
My final tip, is simply:
NEVER GIVE UP and - If at first you don’t succeed, try, try try again
Just ensure you’re having some fun along the way. Your resolutions are more likely to become a natural part of your life, if you’re enjoying the process, as well as the outcomes.
For some more tips check out this useful link: Why your brain is wired to hate resolutions.
