We all welcome the start of 2012 and looking forward to a new year with the possibilities of it being better than the year before. Most individuals talk about their New Year’s resolutions a few days leading up to the change of the year and have the good intentions of following through with what they set out to accomplish. Some very goal-oriented individuals write down their resolutions because putting them down on paper or on a computer makes them more permanent. Usually a day or two after the change of the year, most people have broken their resolutions. Then people continue their normal habits that they had hoped to change for another year until the next New Year’s rolls around.
One of the major problems of New Year’s resolutions is that when people decide on things there is no progressional stage to achieve what they hope to accomplish. For example, a 250lb man decides that he is going to drop 75lbs in the next year. Now, most individuals do not gain 75lbs in the course of a year. If it took you several years to gain that weight, why would you expect to lose that weight in a significantly shorter timeframe. This is an example of goals not equaling reality. A more realistic goal would be to lose 20lbs in the next 6 months. By setting more realistic and attainable goals you set yourself up for success rather than failure.
Another problem with resolutions is that they expect to change habits over night. If you have made poor nutritional choices for 30 years, why would you expect to make great nutritional choices over night. A better resolution would be to say, ” I will eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a week”. By making the goal attainable you are not implying that you will be the poster child for bodybuilding when you have taken no steps to achieve that goal. Small attainable goals are great confidence boosters and will make you want to continue to set new goals that are in conjuction with your master plan. Whether your goal is to lose 20lbs or to run the mile in 7 minutes, make sure that you take steps towards your goals rather than jumps and you will be successful in attaining your master plan. If you need help setting goals or are looking for a change in your exercise program, contact us at www.xspeedtraining.com.