This is about the time where the newness of the new year is starting to wear off. The goals you set a month ago still have your undivided attention OR they have started to lose their luster. The best example that I think everyone can relate to is the new-year gym membership. Most gyms are packed in January, and by February the crowd has begun to disappear … until around May when there is the mad dash to develop the bikini body or get ready for a wedding.
Now, certainly, I am not talking about you. Rather, it’s someone you know, like your sister, co-worker, or bestie. If it is you, there certainly is no judgement from me, because I was right there. That’s why I would like to share some tips that have helped me, and I think will assist you in remaining consistent with your health goals.
Let’s make a plan together. Are you ready for a FIT? No, I don’t mean an episode when your child has a complete meltdown in the cookie aisle but a Focused Intentional Transformation.
I’m not talking about the overused “new year, new you.” Instead, let’s work towards a better you! In a few steps, I would like to show you how you can easily remain consistent with your health goals once and for all.
The first and most important step is to decide what your core determining motivation is. Really take time to figure this out and dig deeper than the knee-jerk response of “I just want to lose weight” or “I want flat abs,” because your response is what will push you to keep going when you are ready to give up.
DO NOT skip this step.
Once you have determined your core determining motivation, the next step is to share it with someone you love. It is one thing to write a goal down or to cut it out and post it on your vision board, but to speak it out loud and share it with someone else takes it to another level. You have now given your goal life and you have given that person permission to hold you accountable. Scary? Yes, sometimes change can be scary, but if you want something different, you must do something different.
The third stage is to be consistent with SMALL daily steps. You want to know the reason why many people start and then give up on their health goals? Good, because I’m going to tell you. They set themselves up for failure by trying to do too much too soon. For example, they may overhaul their diet or commit to going to the gym five days a week, when, in reality, they may work full time and have small children to take care of. A more realistic goal is to commit to working out three to four days per week at home or at the gym with a workout plan.
Working on your nutrition? Focus on what you can add instead of what you are subtracting. Let’s say your goal is to increase the amount of greens in your diet. Look at your current diet and see where you can add greens. Maybe you can start having a simple green smoothie or adding greens to a morning omelet. You could also commit to having a green salad with dinner at least four or five nights per week. What you will soon discover is that, as you continue to add things, you just naturally stop doing other things.
The next step is to have an easy-to-implement plan. Yeah, I know, you don’t like plans, because you’re the spontaneous type. Well, how has that worked for you? As I stated before, if you want something different, you must do something different.
Creating a plan will not only create consistency, but will also save time. Do you want to eat better? Decide to begin meal planning and prepping. What day and time will you commit to this activity? Get it on your calendar. Do you want to use your gym membership beyond January? Predetermine what days and times you can realistically commit to this activity, put it on your calendar, and make it a non-negotiable appointment with a very important person. (HINT: That very important person is you.)
These are some simple, yet tried-and-true things you can implement right now to help you remain consistent with your health goals. Remember, the key is consistent, small daily steps and simplicity. I dare you to make this YOUR best year on purpose and become the best version of yourself.
Golda Smith, a mom of two, is a certified personal trainer and health coach living in Brooklyn. She blogs at FitMo
