Posts Tagged ‘plan’

Resolutions you can actually keep.

By The Refresh You Staff   Category: Refreshing Experts , Weight

Take a quick look at the area gyms, fitness clubs and workout facilities, and you’ll notice a big increase in attendance during the first few weeks in January. They’re packed!

Similarly, many grocery stores report higher sales of healthy foods and produce just after those New Year’s parties conclude.

It’s like this every year.

Certainly, having a weight-loss resolution for 2011 is a worthy goal. In fact, nothing is more beneficial to your overall health, well-being and general satisfaction than brushing up your BMI and increasing your fitness and nutrition levels in the process.

Yet by February, things are pretty much back to normal at the fitness centers and grocery stores.

The problem? The big-picture, nonspecific and often-unachievable New Year’s resolutions disappear as quickly as holiday lights.

Here are some typical resolutions and how they can be fine-tuned to make them more achievable:

Low chance of success: “I’m going to lose 50 pounds.”
Better chance of success: “I’m going to watch what I eat, monitor calories and aim for losing one pound per week or four pounds a month.”

Low chance of success: “I’m going to exercise more.”
Better chance of success: “I will begin walking for a half hour, four times a week.”

Low chance of success: “I’m not going to eat sweets anymore.”
Better chance of success: “I’ll limit my sweets to two times a week.”

Low chance of success: “From now on, I’m going to bring my lunch to work.”
Better chance of success: “I’ll prepare my lunch three times a week.”

Low chance of success: “I will eat more fiber.”
Better chance of success: “I will buy more whole-grain breads, fruits and vegetables when I shop.”

The key is to focus on a specific action, not the general change. Smaller and more manageable action steps provide clarity and focus. If you set deadlines, build in some accountability, keep expectations realistic, and reward yourself for victories, your chances for success improve.

Research does indeed show that those who make resolutions are more likely to achieve weight-loss success than those who don’t. Just make the right resolutions, and you’ll be on your way to a slimmer, trimmer 2011.