With a new year comes a fresh start in getting on track to good health. New Year’s resolutions are often full of plans to get in shape, lose weight, or kick a habit.
Unfortunately, the failure rate for these new year goals is about 80%, according to the U.S. News and World Report, with most people stopping work towards their resolutions in February.
With hard work, ambition, plan, and the right support, you can achieve your goals of having a healthier 2020 and beyond.
Tips for setting a health goal
One of the best ways to ensure you stick to a resolution is to make a plan before the new year begins. Whether your goal is to lose weight, exercise more, or stop smoking once and for all, it can be easier to achieve your goals if you have a game plan ready.
Your plan doesn’t have to be elaborate. Simply create a schedule and stick to it. Set an overall goal as well as small goals that you can meet along the way.
For example, if your goal is to lose 50 pounds, make sure you celebrate each milestone along the way. The most rewarding part of sticking to a New Year’s resolution is the satisfaction of hitting the mini goals in between.
How to keep your resolution
Even though many people fail at keeping their resolutions, that doesn’t mean you won’t find success. Sticking to your goal is much harder than setting it, which is why most resolutions are over by February. Follow these tips to stick to your goal:
Start small. Remember those mini goals? Start there! If you want to run a mile without stopping, you don’t want to try and sprint the whole thing on your first try. That will leave you feeling defeated and discouraged from keeping with it. Starting small helps you stay focused and encouraged.If your goal is to become a runner, start by by running a quarter of a mile, then move to a half a mile, and work your way up to a mile.
Change one thing at a time. Too much change at once can be a recipe for disaster. If your goal is to have healthier eating habits, you don’t want to cut everything you love on day one. Try cutting out, or limiting, one thing at a time so you don’t find yourself giving up.
Don’t be your own worst critic. Self-doubt and negativity can be your biggest roadblock in reaching a goal for the new year. Almost everyone finds themselves slipping up once or twice. Life happens, and sometimes your plans can change. Don’t let one bad day ruin 364 other ones.
Find your support system. One of the best ways to reach your goals is to do it with people who have the same goals. Changing your lifestyle is hard enough. If you do it alone, you’ll find yourself giving up more easily. Join a workout group or a Facebook group for healthy eating. Whatever your goal, find a group of people who can support you on your journey and help you stay on track.
Celebrate every achievement. Again, remember those mini goals? Celebrate them! The journey to achieving your resolution can feel like a long one. If you don’t celebrate the steps along the way, it can feel like you aren't making any progress. You can’t force things to happen faster, so live in the moment of your progress and celebrate all of those achievements.
Get support from Logansport Memorial Hospital
Do you have a healthy New Year’s resolution in mind? Unsure where to start? Our team can help you create a plan so you can reach your health goals in 2020. If you would like to set up a time to talk with one of our providers, call 574.722.4921 or request an appointment online.
We’re here to support you every step of the way in your journey to build better health.
