8 Tips to Nail Your New year’s Health Resolution

The beginning of a New Year offers an excellent opportunity to start a fresh and clean slate by creating resolutions that enables them to get rid of a bad habit or kick start a healthier lifestyle. Though people take new resolution with great hopes to bring about changes they don’t like to see in themselves, unfortunately, couple of weeks down the line, majority of them, give up on their New Year’s resolution. That’s because the goals they have set are either too vague or is just not possible.

If you are taking resolution to put down your weight by 50 pounds in a month’s time, it’s not only unrealistic, but it is also not good for your health. You are accustomed to living a certain kind of lifestyle which is triggered by various factors and many of them might not be just in your control. The key is to make a gradual shift to a healthier life instead of making a radical change like starting to eat only healthy food all the time or exercising for 2 hours a day.

Here are eight tips to help you achieve your New Year’s Health Resolution tips:

Be realistic: The easiest way to fail in your new year’s resolution is to make it unattainable. Taking a resolution to never eat your favorite food again is a sure fire way to set yourself up for failure. Set a goal that is achievable, for example taking a resolution to avoid it more often than you do now.

Plan ahead: Don’t plan to begin your resolution on the New Year’s Eve. If you are going to wait till the last minute, the chances of starting your New Year’s Resolution will depend on your mindset for that particular day. You should ideally start your New Year’s resolution before December 31 arrives.

Detail out your plan: Taking a resolution to not to eat a cake is only one part of the game. You should also plan how you are going to deal with the temptation to skip that piece of cake.

Prepare a list of pros and cons: List down items on a sheet of paper that will keep your motivation strong. Keep developing the list over time and ask others too to contribute to the list. Refer the list whenever you find it difficult to keep the resolution.

Involve friends: Don’t keep your resolution to yourself. Tell your friends and family members who will support your resolution and help you become a better version of yourself. The best would be to find a buddy with whom you can share your New Year’s resolution and motivate each other.

Track progress: Keep a journal of each small success. It is much easier to keep short term goals. Each accomplishment will help you keep motivated. So instead of focusing on losing 30 pounds, make a resolution to reduce only 5 pounds. Reward yourself each time you lose 5 pounds.

Stick to your resolution: Experts suggests that it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and about six months for it to become part of your personality. So you will have to persistent and patient.

Keep trying: Don’t abandon your resolution because of occasional slip. Keep trying. If you slip, start over again and recommit yourself for next 24 hours. Before you even realize, you will back on track.