When January 1 rolls around, we vow to quit smoking, lose 15 pounds and go to the gym every day. By Groundhog Day, “new year, new me” is an empty refrain, and our new year’s resolutions have morphed from action plan to guilt trip.
The biggest failure factor is aiming for major, sweeping changes, says Margaret Moore, life coach and author of Coaching Psychology Manual. “People say, ‘I’ve never meditated; now I’m going to do it every day’ or ‘I’m sedentary; now I'm going to exercise five times a week.’” But research shows that cutting resolutions down to a set of mini-plans can pave the way to success for all kinds of health changes. Here are six smart strategies to help you accomplish what you set out to do this year:
1. Downsize your goals.
“It takes three months to build a new habit,” says Moore, whether it’s daily flossing or weekly decluttering. So instead of going whole-hog with a new exercise plan, aim to work out three times a week. Change bad food habits one by one; for example, deciding that this week, you’ll only eat sweets at a restaurant is more achievable than swearing off all sugar and fried foods for good. “The goal isn’t to lose 20 pounds; it’s to build a lifestyle that allows you to keep the weight off,” says Moore.
2. Set positive goals, not negative ones.
Maybe you love Zumba; make that the centerpiece of your fitness plan. Focus on how much energy you'll have and how great your clothes will look when you're leaner, not how deprived you feel on a diet.
3. Always have a plan B.
Life happens. Eventually, you eat something you shouldn't or roll over and go back to sleep instead of heading to the gym, says Karyn Beach, life coach and author of Get It Together Girl! “Problem is, you haven’t planned how you’ll get back on the wagon.” The secret, says Beach, is allowing yourself to be human: “Don’t beat yourself up. Don’t dwell on what you didn’t do. Just keep moving forward.”
4. Build confidence with little victories.
“Confidence comes from having a track record of success,” says Moore. Say, you want to quit smoking. Make changes that are building blocks for success, like trying stress-control techniques so you don't reach for a cigarette when your serenity starts to shred. Even unrelated victories can work. “Ask yourself, ‘What's one thing I can do today that stretches me a little, gets me out of my comfort zone?’”
5. Don't let others derail you.
“I had a boyfriend who said I wasn’t dieting strictly enough -- I should cut out all carbs,” says Beach. She was tempted to listen to him, but she stuck to her guns. “I do what I can sustain, what works for me. I might not be losing weight as fast, but I’ve got a doable plan that will help me keep the weight off.”
