01 January , 2020

Keeping New Year's Resolutions

Every year, people make New Year’s Resolutions, only to give up on them before the end of January. In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychologyonly 46% of people wind up keeping New Year's Resolutions. Even more distressing, only 4% of people who had goals - but didn’t make resolutions - were successful in meeting their goals! Why do so many people give up after the first couple of weeks? There are four primary reasons:

Your goals aren’t clear
You feel overwhelmed
You aren’t ready for change
You feel discouraged

So…. here’s five of the most popular goals, and tips for keeping New Year's resolutions in 2020!

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1. Exercise More

Set Easily Measurable Fitness Goals

It’s one thing to say “I want to run more.” It’s a completely different thing to say “I want to run a 20 minute 5k” or “I want to qualify for the Boston Marathon.”

Find a Support System

If you’re the kind of person who loves to be around other people, group workouts like Burn Bootcamp, F45, or CrossFit might be the trick to keeping yourself motivated. If you prefer a more solitary workout, online tools/communities like Strava or Zwift might give you the kind of support you need.

Put Your Heart on the Line

Don’t underestimate how much putting your heart on the line can make you show up over and over.Signing up to raise money for a charity while running a half or full marathon is a great way to tie your personal causes to your fitness goals. I myself became a half marathoner 10 years ago while fundraising for Team in Training, and have gone on to run 11 marathons and more half marathons than I can count, all while raising lots of money for causes I believe in.

Schedule It

You’re way more likely to show up to the gym if it’s in your calendar.

2. Save Money (or Just Spend Less!)

Identify Your Reason for Saving Money

Do you want to go on vacation? Do you need a new roof? Are you planning a wedding? Everything else flows from understanding why what you want later is more important than what you want right now.

Be Realistic about Scrimping and Saving

Sure you want to put some money away, but do make sure to budget enough to order a pizza now and then. Your first step is being really honest about your budget and then figuring out how much is left over for savings.

Automate your Savings

If you put a set amount in your savings account with every paycheck, you'll never know you had it in the first place.

Cashback Credit Cards

Cashback credit cards are great ways to build little piles of cash, and it almost feels like free money! When you cash that in, make sure it goes into your savings account!

Save your Tax Return

Yes, it’s tempting to use it for a splurge, but remember why you’re saving this money.

Take the 52-Week Money Challenge

In week one, you put $1 in a jar or an envelope or a savings account. In week two, you put in $2, and so on and so on and in week fifty-two, you are putting in $52. What’s amazing is this little habit nets you $1,378 at the end of the year. There are even apps that help you do it automatically!

3. Get Organized!

Define "Organized"

For some people, it might be a clutter-free home or an in-box with no unread messages. For others, it might be a color-coordinated closet. Until you know what “organized” means, there’s no way to attack it.

Just Do It

Start with the simplest task, or the most difficult. Some of us like the instant gratification of cleaning out the junk drawer, while others need to clean out the entire attic to feel accomplished. Whichever kind of person you are, just get started!

Set a Deadline

It’s easy to put it off until next weekend. Schedule the time to tackle whatever needs organization, and then cross it off the list.

Make Lists

There’s nothing that makes you feel more organized than a To-Do list, except maybe crossing things off the To-Do list!

Automate When You Can

Use reminders on your phone, or one of the many task management apps that are available on your phone today.

4. Lose Weight

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

One to two pounds a week is the most sustainable rate of weight loss.

Working Out Won't Change a Bad Diet

You get fit in the gym; you lose weight in the kitchen. It’s all about what you eat!

Get a Workout Buddy

Dieting is so much easier when you have support.

Use an App

Use one of the amazing online tools that are available to help you keep track of your calories in and calories out. There are even free ones like My Fitness Pal that work wonders!

5. Sleep More. Sleep Better.

It's been proven time and time again that good sleep is the key to EVERYTHING. When you're well-rested, you feel better. When you feel better, you're in a better mood. When you're in a better mood, you are far more likely to accomplish your goals! Some food for thought:

Well-rested people perform better.
Eight hours of sleep is the MINIMUM for optimal performance.
Sleep gives you more energy to get things done!
Not getting enough sleep can make you overeat, as much as almost 550 calories a DAY!
Poor sleep results in poor memory function, concentration, reduced productivity and organization.
Sleep is key to effective self-control

We can't stress it enough - get more sleep. Get good sleep.