New year, New you?

Its that time of year again! We hear it every year around this time, its a new year and I'm going to do such and such. Everyone starts out the year with such lofty goals from financial goals to weight loss goals and everything in between. You have probably heard this phrase a million times "2017 is going to be my year." Some of you just rolled your eyes when you read that and I really cant blame you. When it comes to these so called new years resolutions its not that I have a problem with them I just wish(and you probably do as well) people would be realistic and stick with them. I have been a personal trainer for 3 years and trust me when I tell you the gym is flooded with people at the start of the year with such high hopes and within 3 weeks everyone disappears! Some people have legit reasons why they cant continue such as family, work, stomach bug, etc. Most people fail at their new years resolutions simply because they don't set realistic goals. How many people have you heard say "This year I'm going to start eating right." That's a pretty vague statement first of all, and second, what do you mean by eating right? You can eat cake, and candy right, or eat 5000 calories per day right but that's not exactly going to help you lose weight if that's your goal. If people made more realistic and attainable goals that would go a long way in making that goal successful. After all 92% of people fail in their New Years Resolutions and 38% of all resolutions are weight loss.
I have put together a list of things that may help you succeed in your resolutions. After all, we all want to see each other succeed!

Make a specific goal. 
Like I mentioned above, people have vague goals such as I'm going to start eating right or I'm going to lose weight or I'm going to save money. These are a few things that I have heard so far. Instead of saying I'm going to start eating right how about saying I am going to cut sodas out of my diet. That seems like a small goal but its realistic and straight to the point. Cutting sodas out of your diet and replacing them with water or juice can have great benefits for your health. Instead of saying you are going to lose how about you try to lose a specific amount in a certain time period and also outlining how you are going to do it. For example, you can say I'm going to lose 10 pounds over the next 4 weeks by exercising 3 days per week. No you have a specific and attainable goal that you can document and track along the way. Saving money is something that we all want to do but sometimes we cant get started. Unexpected bills, holidays, birthdays are all things that hinder us from saving money. If you really want to save money the best way is to cut something out of your budget. This is usually an activity that's not exactly a need such as shopping, partying, traveling, etc. I'm not saying you have to cut all of those out cold turkey but scaling back a bit can go along way in helping. Sitting down and outlining a savings plan is something that can also help. Write all of your expenses and how much you make and figure out what you can let go of and then save a percentage of that money.

Surround yourself with like minded people 
You hear the phrase all of the time "birds of a feather flock together". This is true when it comes to situations like this. Whatever your goals or resolutions are, you want to be around people with similar goals. By doing this you can hold each other accountable, build each other up, and consult with each other. Being in the fitness industry Ive noticed that group exercise classes tend to do very well because of the accountability factor. If you know your friends are going to do something you don't want to be an oddball or watch them reach goals without you so you are more likely to be on your toes. If you have someone to talk to daily about your goals it will give you an extra push to complete them. You can also find yourself getting into a nice friendly competition and those are always fun because they always push you past your limits!

Consult with a professional
When starting your new years resolution you should always get advice and guidance from a professional in that field. If losing weight is your goal you should consider hiring a certified personal trainer(key word is certified) to help you. Keep in mind you are going to see tons of fad diets and detox plans and magic weight loss shakes and pills over the next few weeks. You should avoid these things like the plague and get someone that knows what they are doing to help. If you need to save money this year definitely reach out to someone who has a background with helping people save money. We all have that friend that wants to give financial advice yet they never pick up the check(don't show that person this blog lol) or that one friend that lost 2 pounds and all of a sudden thinks they are a weight loss expert. These people are great to talk to but if you are serious about your goals you should definitely get advice from an expert. You don't even have to necessarily hire someone but seeking advice is a great idea. You can find tons of free information on the Internet these on just about anything. 

Well everyone I hope reading this blog has helped you with your new years resolutions! If not try reading it again and maybe the second time will be better(wink, wink). If you need any help reaching your goals feel free to contact me and I will help you with what I can. If this blog was informative to you feel free to share and pass it on to your friends and colleagues! I hope you guys crush your new years resolutions and every other goal that you have in 2017! 
Have a great and healthy week!

Your Coach,

Charles Bell CPT, OTC