Happy New Year!!! I’m excited that we have all been blessed to see another year. Since we’ve been given this opportunity, we have to make the most of it! My theme for this year is, “New Year. New Body. No Excuses.” What’s stopping you from achieving your health goals? Whatever your reason may be, 2015 is the year to put away excuses and start getting RESULTS. How many more years will you allow to pass you by without living life to its fullest? Don’t let 2015 be another one. Let’s hit the ground running and not stop until we get to our destination!
So how do you stick to your health goals?
1) Choose 2-3 challenging, but ACHIEVABLE goals. Your goals should help to inspire your daily actions. If you choose a goal too large, it will scare you into inactivity. It helps to make a challenging goal and then select small goals to work toward throughout the year. The small goals should keep you encouraged and moving toward the big goal.
2) Write your goals down and tell them to somebody else. Why? This makes the goal real. Now that you have said what you want to achieve, you are more likely to go for it. Don’t keep the goal locked up inside your mind. Get it out! Even if you have to speak it aloud to yourself, don’t keep the goal bottled up.
3) Find an accountability partner. I know, I know. Who wants to be accountable? Who wants someone pointing out the things you said you were going to do but aren’t doing? If you’re serious about achieving your goal, this process is necessary! If you could do it on your own, you would have done it by now. Make sure this person is someone that you respect and listen to. They should be able to keep you encouraged and motivated, but also tell you when you’re falling behind.
4) Plan out the action steps to help you achieve the goal. Okay, so you know what you want to achieve. How will you do it? Will you stop eating out as often? Will you go to the gym more? What are the specific behavior changes necessary to reach your goal? Decide what behaviors you are willing to change and to what extent you are comfortable changing them.
5) Periodically evaluate your goal. Was your goal too ambitious? Is it something that you can achieve? Was the goal too easy and no longer challenging? Every now and then, stop and evaluate your progress. Sometimes, you may need to change the goal. Other times, you may have achieved the goal and want to set another one.
6) Reward yourself. As you hit different milestones on the path to your goal, give yourself a little treat. It is a way of honoring the changes that you have already made and encouraging yourself to keep going. But make sure the reward does not take away from your progress!
I’m a strong believer in the saying, “if you can see it, you can achieve it.” Too many of us do not achieve our fullest potential because we allow laziness, doubt, and other excuses to get in the way. It is your choice whether or not you will remain content with mediocrity or if you will let 2015 be YOUR YEAR. Choose wisely!
Make it a great year!
Joy Diggs
Owner, Digg Deep Fitness
www,diggdeepfit.com
New Year. New Body. No Excuses.
Article by Joy Diggs
Digg Deep Fitness was founded by personal trainer and registered dietitian, Joy Diggs. Diggs earned her B.A. in Exercise and Sport Science from University of North Carolina and her M.S. in Nutrition from Georgia State University. After completing a dietetic internship at The Ohio State University, she passed the exam to become a registered dietitian. Additionally, she is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
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