Reenergize Your Resolutions

Can you believe it’s almost February of 2013? It seems we just had our trees and menorahs up, and here we are looking forward to Valentine’s Day. The gyms have already thinned out from the folks who joined on January 1, and we’ve stopped hearing so many weight-loss commercials on the television and radio. Is it possible that people are already back to their old (and sometimes bad) habits?

Research has shown it takes 21 days or more to make a habit stick. That means you need to keep your resolutions active for at least three weeks to incorporate them into everyday aspects of your life. But here it is, the end of January, and too many people have already given up hope on making those changes to improve their health, fitness, and wellbeing. Is there an easier way?

If you’ve had a challenge really implementing your annual goals for yourself, try cutting them down into sizeable chunks that are a bit more manageable. So let’s say you want to lose 15 pounds; how are you going to get there? Maybe you’re going to commit to going to the gym three days a week. Okay, that’s good, but what time? What are you going to do when you get there? Creating a checklist makes you accountable to what you want to happen. And don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you’ve never been an active gym rat, don’t expect to be there for two hours every time you stop in. Soon that two hours will seem unmanageable and you’ll give up. How about 10 minutes of cardio and two sets of 10 reps on two or three pieces of weight-bearing equipment? All said and told, that will likely take less than an hour. Surely you can carve that into your day.

If your diet needs an overhaul, don’t expect to cut out all refined sugars and carbs overnight. Perhaps you can start with a simple detox to clean out your system and get it ready and then move into a lighter meal system. Did you know our bodies fare better when we eat 5–6 small meals rather than 3 big ones? Again, plan it out. Temptation is everywhere, and if you plan the day’s (or week’s) meals, you’re less likely to get caught thinking, “I’m hungry now; what can I eat?” while you reach for a candy bar.

With a system, you’re much more likely to be successful in sticking to your resolutions. If we can help, let us know. Head over to www.TLNScottsdale.com for more support and nutrition ideas. We want to support your growth to be a better, healthier you!