Planning Progress

Make your resolution stick.

Now is the time to take advantage of the new year and put a new foot forward. How many times have you actually stuck to your resolution? This is the year to make it happen! Here are some common mistakes and tips to
stick to your resolution:

Make it a goal that’s attainable. This is about starting fresh – not climbing Mount Everest. Make sure your target is attainable; rather than aiming to lose 30 pounds, set your goal to lose five pounds, then five more and five more.

Set a time frame. Most people don’t usually sit down and set up a plan. This is the biggest problem with our goals. You need to give yourself a set date and allotted time so that you can stay on track. This also makes it easier to achieve your goal in a healthy amount of time. Without a deadline, you’ll catch yourself putting it off a week here and there. A good way to set goals, and to reach them, is by using smaller time increments to measure your progress. Make sure to check your progress every two weeks!

Get a friend. We all know these things are harder to do alone. Everyone is trying to get on track right now so why not do it together? Hold each other accountable for your resolutions and you won’t be able to back out so easily. Just make sure not to enable each other in straying from your resolutions! Find a friend that you can really trust to push you, and not buckle when you’re slacking.

Write it down. This truly helps. Whether you’re starting a new diet, new workout plan, training for a marathon or starting to walk everyday, keep a journal of what you did and of your progress. This makes you recall and really see what you’re doing. It helps to keep people from skipping workouts or eating unhealthily. 

Find motivation. Every person is different. Some people find motivation in music, pictures, magazines or friends. Figure out where your motivation is and use it!

Find a measurable way to track your progress. If you’re trying to lose inches, measure your areas of your body; if you’re trying to lose weight, track your weight loss; if you’re training for a marathon, track your miles. Without some sort of accurate quantifiable data to track your progress many people lose hope. 

Plan. Any goal that you want to achieve requires planning. Besides determining your goal, you need to figure out what it takes to get there. Write down the specifics and make it work. Everyone has different lives, schedules and goals. Figure out what is going to make it happen for you.

Most importantly, find out what works for you. Everyone has hectic schedules and reasons that get in the way of their resolutions. Put those aside, plan and make it work!
 

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