Struggling with your health related resolution? We can help you avoid these pitfalls.
Fail 1: Your goal is unattainable. Your resolution is to run 3 miles every day but you’ve never run more than 2 — ever. You’ve set yourself up for quick failure.
Solution: Set a weekly rather than a daily goal. For beginners, heading to Shelby Bottoms Greenway or Centennial Park three times a week is much more feasible than a daily pounding on sore legs.
Fail 2: You aren’t taking baby steps. If your goal is to give up sugar, but you’re used to drinking two sodas a day, you’re likely experiencing withdrawal.
Solution: Work on giving up the soda first. Then take a look at what other sugar-heavy items are going into your body.
Fail 3: You didn’t enlist support. It’s easy to say no to yourself but harder to say no if you’re on the hook with a friend or group to exercise.
Solution: Join a 30-day yoga challenge or a four-week boot camp with a friend. You’ll form a healthy habit and enjoy the camaraderie.
Fail 4: You made too many resolutions. You’ve vowed to get 45 minutes of cardio every day, eliminate processed foods, save money, keep the house spotless, never let the laundry pile up — oh and to floss religiously. Change for the better is great, but striving for perfection breeds disappointment.
Solution: Set just one or two attainable goals at a time, and once they become habits, make new ones.
Fail 5: You made a resolution that doesn’t fit your lifestyle. You’re not a morning person, but you set a goal to swim laps first thing. Good luck getting out of that warm bed and into that cold pool!
Solution: Have a lunchtime swim at Centennial Sportsplex, a nearby YMCA or your favorite gym. Don’t force a habit on yourself that’s never going to work for you.
Fail 6: You fell off the wagon, so why bother? Missing a workout or eating a “forbidden” food doesn’t mean the whole year is lost. You can make a resolution anytime — day or night.
Solution: Don’t let the calendar or the clock dictate when you make life changes. And remember, your past is not your potential.
Is your workout boring you? Check out some cheap or free ways to get fit around town, with a little more excitement than your gym.
If you’re on the road to weight loss, congratulations! We have some tips on how to keep the pounds off.
