Fit Girl: Dream or Change; Fail-proof Approach to the New Year

Fit Girl: Dream or Change; Fail-proof Approach to the New Year

Friday, December 30, 2011

In Other News:

Susan Wright: Inspiring us all at Gainesville Health and Fitness
Wednesday, February 22, 2012

X-Force Blog, Tuesday 7:00am
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
   

Well, it's that time of year again: where everything you see and read is geared towards making your New Year's Resolution.

Today's post is no different.

But while the rest of the world (well, at least corporate America) is telling you how they can make you successful at your resolutions this year (as opposed to all the help they provided last year) I'm going to tell you this: the odds are stacked against you.

As you may have guessed, the vast majority of New Year's Resolvers (is that the proper term?) fail at their resolution. According to the Opinion Corporation of Princeton, NJ., only 8 percent of people succeed at their resolutions. Three-fourths of individuals make it past their first week and less than half make it to the six-month mark.
 
How many of us can even remember what last year’s resolutions were?

When you think about how serious you were when you made these resolutions, why do you think it is so easy to fall off the mark a mere seven days later? I'll let you in on a little secret: resolutions are a recipe for failure. By definition, they are dreams.

I think here, although I hate to do this, it's appropriate to define two words:
  • Resolution: "a firm decision to do or not do something."
That sounds kind of arbitrary and vague to me. But there's hope. Enter a new way of thinking:
  • Plan: "a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something."
Which sounds more effective? A goal without a plan is a dream or a wish.

This year, let's resolve to not just change ourselves, but the way we look at change. The definition of insanity, I’m told, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. How about instead of New Year's Resolutions, we make New Years Plans and break the cycle of failure we've seen in year's past.

Here's a fool-proof way to succeed this year:
  1. Gauge your readiness for change: It seems simple and silly, but how many of us set out to make changes without asking ourselves if we even want to make a change in that area? It’s crucial to the success of our plans that we first establish whether we want the current situation to change, then establish how much we want that situation to change. Go ahead, give it a rating. And be honest! With one being the least important and ten being most important, decide just how crucial this change is to your life. Only then are you ready to proceed.
  2. Be action focused: Goals like “Lose 50 pounds,” or “Finish a marathon,” or “Keep the house tidy,” are all great things to aspire toward, but they omit one crucial factor: how will you get there? This is where the importance of the New Year’s Plan comes into play. Goals like, “Eat a genuinely healthy breakfast every morning,” or “Run five times each week,” or “Put items away immediately after use,” are action-based plans that make the recipe for success. Make sure your goals meet the following requirements:
    • Specific & Measurable: You need to know what success will look like when you achieve it.
    • Time sensitive: Without a deadline, you’re just hoping for a result.
    • Realistic: Unfortunately, you can’t lose 50 pounds in a week. To pursue an unrealistic goal is to set yourself up for letdown and failure. Find out what a reasonable timeline looks like for your specific goal.
    • Personally Meaningful: If you don’t have an emotional attachment to your goal, you will have no reason to stick it out when the going gets tough. Build a relationship with what success means to you, and you will care too much to quit.
  3. Write it down: Goals must be written out to be real. Post it in areas that you see everyday, especially areas that will have the most impact, such as your car, refrigerator or TV remote. While you’re at it, include why this goal is important to you and what success will feel like. It will help build that emotional attachment.
  4. Share it: It is easy to fail in the absence of accountability. Moreover, it’s also extremely guilt free. If that sounds enticing, please re-read Step 1. Post your goals on your social medium of choice. Tell your family and friends. Pick someone (or someones) to ask you daily or weekly about your progress. (Make sure this is someone whom you would have a problem letting down if your progress wanes!) Writing a blog is a great way to publicize your endeavor while keeping track of your progress (see next step for more) and you'll have the opportunity to encourage others in their endeavors!
  5. Track it: Keep a record of how you’re doing and the progress you’ve made. You won’t know if you’re getting closer to your goal unless you test yourself. Establish an “assessment” schedule and stick to it. If you’re trying to lose weight, you need to know how much you’re losing. If you’re trying to achieve a certain time in a race, you need to know if your fitness is increasing. Consistent monitoring of your progress is the only way to know if you’re on the right track.
    • Celebrate Victories: When you test yourself and find you’ve improved, celebrate. Don’t wait until you reach your big goal to congratulate yourself. There’s nothing like a reward to boost morale.
    • Make Adjustments: If you find your progress is slower than you would like (or nonexistent) don’t wait until your deadline passes to make changes. Enlist help when needed and make changes now so you can celebrate success in the near future.
  6. Get back up: If you fall off, don’t wait until the next New Year to restart. Any day that ends in "y" is a great day to restart. Failure isn’t defined by small hiccups along the way, but total abandonment. (This is where tracking comes in handy!) When you see yourself slipping, determine why that’s happening and make adjustments. Remind yourself why you’re pursuing this goal (it should be written down in plenty of places!) and surround yourself with people to encourage your progress.
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