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How to Make a New Year’s Resolution and Stick to It

Are you making a New Year’s resolution for 2018? Don’t feel sheepish if you’re not. It turns out that only 30% of Canadians make New Year’s resolutions. And, of those 73% will break the resolution before its goals are reached.

So, for every 100 Canadians, only 8 will make a resolution and keep it this year. We told you didn’t have to feel bad about your lack of resolutions.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make one. We all want to be better versions of ourselves, but it’s not always easy. If New Year’s resolutions help to get you motivated, then take that opportunity to make things happen. The beauty of a New Year’s resolution is that, depending on the resolution, there’s an easy-to-follow, built-in timeline to reach your goals.

If you would like to get to work in 2018 to accomplish something in your life to make it better for you and/or others, here are some ways to improve your chances of success with a New Year’s resolution.

Make it Reasonable

There you are on New Year’s Eve, champagne in hand, all chuffed with the spirit of the season and you resolve to run the Toronto Marathon this year, even though you didn’t start regularly jogging until last summer. Sure, you can do it, but the chances are slimmer than if you said you’ll try to increase your average jogging distance by 50% – or 25% – or whatever feels more realistic.

Be Specific

When you say you want to “eat more healthily” all you need to do is have a carrot and, boom, resolution met. But if you say you’ll balance your diet across fats, carbs and proteins, cut out sugars wherever possible, eat less salt and have only healthy snack options, then not only do you have a resolution, but you have half the plan of meeting it too.

Look for a Double-Dip Resolution

Losing weight and being healthier are consistently among the top resolutions for Canadians. And let’s say you want to save money for a special purchase this year too. By cutting down on your restaurant/fast food/processed food eating, you’ll save money and be healthier too!

Make it Motivating

“I will save more money” is a good resolution, but it doesn’t exactly inspire you to sock away every loonie. But when you add a ‘carrot-on-a-stick’ motivator, suddenly it’s like you’re chomping at the bit to get started. So try something like, “I will save more money to buy a new JetSki!”

Write It Down & Track It

Let’s say your goal is to be more active. One way to make it more specific is to say “I will get the minimum 2.5 hours per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity as recommended by Health Canada.” When you write that down, there’s less chance of compromise, like “well, I did 45 minutes this week, so that’ll do.” By keeping a running journal of how many minutes you get each week, you can not only see your progress, which can be motivating, but you’ll know how far you still have to go.

Get Help

Let’s say your resolution is “lose 20 pounds by the start of summer so I can impress everyone at the gym.” That’s great, it’s specific, motivating and trackable. But what happens when you don’t lose the weight as quickly as expected. Most New Year’s resolutions are not particularly easy to accomplish and trying many of them entirely on your own can reduce your chances of making it. Especially in the case of being healthier, more fit and losing weight, you’re actually trying to make fairly significant changes to your body. There’s no shame in getting the help you need to reach your goals.

If your goal is better health, call or visit us here at PinPoint Health. We can improve your workout results, reduce downtime due to injuries and even help your with weight loss.

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