How to stick to your New Year’s resolutions

First off, good for you for wanting to start the new year on the right foot.

Whether you want to lose weight, exercise more or eat better, setting the intention to do so is the first step.

The next step? Making it stick. Unfortunately, the “doing it” part is almost always harder than the “wanting to do it” part. You can take comfort in knowing that 80 percent of people who make New Year’s resolutions are already off track by the first week of February.

So, how can you join those successful 20 percenters?

Get specific

Do you want to lose some vague amount of weight? Without a clear goal in mind, you’ll never be able to achieve it. Here are some of the best health resolutions to make.

Take baby steps

If your resolution is a lofty one — say, hitting the gym five days a week when you’ve been a couch potato for the past 12 months — you may be setting yourself up for failure. A better and more achievable goal is to start small by aiming to work out twice a week in January, building up to three times a week in February and so on.

Focus on one thing at a time

Let’s say you made a bunch of resolutions: You want to eat better, exercise three times a week and stop biting your nails. There’s a good chance they will prove to be too much to handle all at once. While some resolutions go hand-in-hand, such as eating better and losing weight, trying to fix every habit at the same time can prove impossible. It’s better to pick your one main goal for now. You can always stop biting your nails in June.

Enlist friends and family

You don’t need to make a major Facebook announcement that you’re determined to lose weight this year, but you should let a few trusted friends and close family members know that you’re serious about your goal — and ask for support. Perhaps your neighbor is game for morning walks once or twice a week, and your spouse can promise not to bring cookies or cake home from the store.

Ask for support

If, even with your friends and family on board, you’re still finding it challenging to stay on track, consider joining a group of like-minded people.

Cut yourself some slack

If you didn’t make it to the gym twice this week or you gave into your craving for that brownie, don’t beat yourself up. You’re only human, and no one is perfect. Instead, remind yourself that you’ll do better at your next meal or make it back to the gym tomorrow. The important thing is not to let one slip-up derail your entire year.

You’ve got this!

Source: Forbes.com

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