Getting Back on Track Resolutions
It is that time again. The beginning of a new year when people have resolved to get back on track with healthy eating and exercise in the hopes of losing weight.
As the holiday season rolls around, they tell themselves that they will change their habits at the start of the new year.
On the second or third day of the new year, lines at salad bars are three times longer and lettuce is flying off of grocery store shelves.
And OMG, the gyms!
They are packed with the diehards and the onslaught of newcomers – other wise known as the resolutioners.
Those resolutioners go hard too.
But then something happens.
Resolutions Typically Fail
Week by week the crowds at the gym die down. By the second week of February most resolutioners are right back to what they were doing, at least until the next year. Is that you?
You see, if you did not know it, 80 percent of resolutions fail. That includes that resolution to eat healthier and exercise more.
Are you one of those resolutioners?
If so, are you truly ready to get healthy eating and exercise back on track. And if you're saying to yourself you have never been on track, the question for you is, are you ready to get on track?
If so, I am glad you are here. This post will address, at a high level, 5 keys to getting (or starting) healthy eating and exercise back on track.
In subsequent posts, I will break down each key, with tips to help you out.
When you were younger you probably learned the 5 W's: Who, What, Why, When, and Where, plus How.
Well, that is the idea we are going to use as the keys to getting you back on track.
The who is obvious. That is you, therefore I am not counting that as a key. Knowing that we are starting with you, let's continue with the keys.
1. Knowing Why You Want This Change
Folks get all gung ho about diving into eating healthier and starting an exercise routine, but they leave out something much more important than either of those – their mindset.
Your head has to be in the right place to make this change stick longer than a month or two.
Asking yourself why you want to change helps you develop the mindset to change. You go into the next set of changes knowing why you are making those changes and why those changes are so important.
Between now and next week, start thinking about your why.
2. Knowing What to Change
Above I mentioned salad bar lines. Seriously, do you want to be eating salads everyday? I sure as heck don't.
I mention this because many people have no clue what to do when it comes to eating healthier. In a future post I will share some ideas with you.
For now, think about whether or not you know what to change in what you eat and in a form of exercise to help get you back on track.
3. Knowing How You Will Implement Your Change
This is where people typically start when they are working to get their act together.
Notice that I did not start with the how?
That is because the how does not help you sustain the journey. It only serves as a tactical solution.
To solve any problem you need to know why the problem happened in the first place, then what you are going to do about the problem.
There is also a how that many people do not consider. Here is a hint. It is the how that helps weight loss stick.
Do you think you know what that is?
I will save it for the post dedicated to this area. If you think you know the answer, share it in the post comments.
That is what needs to happen prior to focusing on the how so really give the why and what attention.
4. Knowing When You Will Implement Your Change
Ok, you established that the new year is here so that is when you will implement your change.
That is not enough.
Your change takes some planning. And sometimes you need to be sure to have a back up plan for your plan.
When I get to the post that dives into the when, I will share with you my strategy.
5. Knowing Where You will Implement Your Change
Trust me, knowing where you apply your change is important.
You can go searching the internet and find a suggestion on where to workout, for example, then find out that does not work for you.
It is also important to know where to find your healthy eating food. In the post regarding the where I will provide suggestions for you.
5 Keys to Getting Healthy Eating and Exercise Back on Track
As a recap, what are the 5 keys you need to know to get healthy eating and exercise back on track?
- Why you want this change.
- What to change.
- How you will implement your change.
- When you will implement your change.
- Where you will implement your change.
So let's get started, beginning with your why. Next week I will provide you with what to consider when thinking about why you want this change.
What do you have to say?: Share in the post comments, Facebook, or Twitter your struggles with getting back on track.