Your Personal Guide to New Year Resolutions

Now that we’re in the new year, how are your New Year’s resolutions coming along? Statistics show that most people fall off of the wagon by February! That’s such a short timeframe. We need to approach New Year’s resolutions with a PLAN. And we need to be able to minimize potential to stray from these plans as well. Drawing out a strategy will help you stay dialed in and more motivated. Diving in blind can cause you to burn out quickly, and you’re way more likely to give up after only a short period of time. Let’s go over how to properly create a plan along with how to overcome being unmotivated.

1. Figure out your GOALS
   • What are you working toward?
   • Make sure these goals are ATTAINABLE and REALISTIC
2. Make a PLAN
   • What are YOU willing to do to get there?
   • I want to lose 20lbs of fat
     • I’m willing to stop drinking cokes and workout 2-3x week to get there

3. Define a timeline
   • I want to lose the weight by May (summer bod!), so 16 weeks
   • That’s about a little over a pound of body fat lost per week, which is totally doable
4. Execute
   • Are you going to keep yourself accountable?
   • Are you going to workout with a buddy?
   • Are you going to hire a trainer to keep you accountable?
5. Measure your progress
   • Use PROGRESS PHOTOS first to judge progress
   • Use FEEL second
   • And use the scale and measurements last

Now that you have your goals down on paper, a specific timeline, and how you’re going to stay dialed in and judge progress, it’s time to get to work!

Along the way, you’re GOING to lose motivation. There’s no way around it. However, there are some things that you can do to overcome being unmotivated.

1. Make sure you’re taking progress photos
   • In all reality, good or bad, these photos are motivating
   • You are either going to be so excited that you’re changing, that you’ll want to continue OR you may find that you’re not where you want to be in the moment, and that will help push you to get to work
   • Photos taken over time can also show you micro changes that you’re more likely not to notice over time considering the fact that you see yourself every single day
2. Schedule your workouts
   • If you wait until you FEEL like it, you’re never going to do it. Trust me, it’s been a LONG time since I’ve FELT like it.
   • Once that time rolls around (set an alarm), simply go to the spot where you workout. If you’re feeling it, workout. If not, literally just go there and sit. Maybe try stretching and see how you feel. A lot of the time, if we can just GET THERE, we’ve already overcome the motivation obstacle.
3. Buy something new!
   • If it makes sense financially, invest in a new outfit that you love or even a new piece of gym equipment
   • Having something NEW can really help bring you some motivation
4. Be PREPARED
   • Prep your meals – having food there and ready to go makes it less likely that you’ll stray and grab something “bad” out of impulse. Trust me, once I get to the hangry stage, I stop caring what goes into my body. I’ll eat anything at that point.
   • If you’re going to the gym after work, take your workout clothes with you – eliminating having to go back home to change makes it less likely that you’ll just call it quits and stay home
   • Set alarms – whether its for meals or workouts, these alarms work wonders in giving you that little nudge to get going
5. Get yourself some accountability
   • This is a game changer
   • Whether it’s a friend, family member, or trainer, having someone there to MAKE SURE that you stick to your plan increases the likelihood that you actually will

• If you know your friend is going to be waiting for you at the gym at x time, you’re more likely to go
• If you know your trainer is going to be waiting on you at the gym at x time, you’re more likely to go
• If you know your trainer is watching to see if you’ve checked in for your virtual PT workout, you’re more likely to do it

Like I stated before… IT’S INSANE buttttt - statistics show that most people drop their New Year’s resolutions by February. That’s only FOUR WEEKS! Big culprits of the problem are the lack of a plan and the lack of accountability. Most people go in to the new year saying, “I want to get fit” or “I want to build my family an outdoor furniture set” or WHATEVER and then that’s literally it. No execution. No real drawn out plan. If you don’t set expectations for yourself, you’re more likely to “let yourself down” because you’ve set no real standards set in place.