Making resolutions is a very common tradition when the New Year is upon us. We make resolutions to try and improve our lifestyle. We often make too bold of goals which we try for the first few days and then it becomes forgotten. The most common resolutions are working out, eating healthy, losing weight, quitting an addiction, or saving money. Making these resolutions is easier said than done but sticking to them is the toughest part. This blog is here to help you make the right resolutions that are measurable and attainable. Forming specific goals that are able to be built on throughout the year, will allow for your resolution to become a success! 

Specify your Resolution

Instead of just making your resolution, “I want to eat healthy”, or “I want to exercise more often”, set more specific goals like I want to try and eat one healthy meal a day or I want to try and walk/go to the gym for 20 minutes a day. Make small goals that can be easily accomplished and able to be built on. So hopefully by March or April, you are up to 40 minutes a day and eating two healthy meals a day. 

Specific ‘eating healthy’ resolutions:

• Cut down on snacking
• Integrate a cup of fruits and vegetables a day
• Cut back on carbs (breads, pasta, potatoes) to only twice a week
• Drink less soda or caffeine
• Eat one salad a day
• Have 1 healthy meal throughout the day

Specific exercise/activity resolutions:

• Get moving for at least 20 minutes in a day
• Start by doing an at home workout 
• Start slow and allow yourself to build on how much you do as you get started
• Try yoga and Pilates every morning
• Go on a 20 min walk 5 times a week

Other resolutions that are achievable and attainable:

• Sit less throughout the day
• Have a smart watch or pedometer to set step goals to eventually have your goal to get 10,000 steps in a day
• Get more sleep! Set a specific bedtime and wake up time every day to help your body get more rest and have a better sleep schedule. 
• Start journaling what happened throughout the day and write down your moods or feelings that you experienced. Getting it out on paper is a shockingly great way to help handle your moods, anxieties, and stress. 
• Create a budget of weekly and monthly spending. 

Choosing the right resolutions is difficult enough, sticking to them is even harder. Don’t set too many goals for the new year as they will go unaccomplished. Make a few resolutions that you can easily achieve, but also can continue to build on. Setting a resolution to work out for only 20 minutes a day, 5 times a week, that you will eventually begin to work out for a longer period of time. Everything in moderation, shoot to achieve big, but start as you can work for your ultimate goal to exercise more or lose weight. Happy New Year!

Strive for progress, not success!

Kayla Withrow