Why New Year Resolutions Don’t Work
Yes, this year is the one, this is where I’m going to drop the 2 stone, I’m going to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge, I’m going to run a 5k In 30 minutes. This Is the year I know it.
Sound familiar? I know I have been having these conversations with a lot of our clients over the last few weeks and for the last few years, I try not to talk about ‘resolutions’. The reason being that most of us will break the resolutions in week 3. It takes 28 days to cement a habit in the human body, so 4 weeks but we fall short most of the time as usually the ‘resolution’ is too much of an overhaul from normal day to day life and it is too inconvenient.
Let me give you an example of the most common one, ‘I’m going to lose 2 stone’, ok so how do we get there? Well, I’m going to eat less, actually, I’m going to give up chocolate for the whole year.
This is a tough one, especially if you have a sweet tooth like me. Let me explain why this won’t work, firstly it sounds like this person enjoys chocolate if that is the go-to thing to drop, as they know it’s not great for the weight and waistline and dropping it probably would have an effect on the weight. However, what happens if they want some chocolate from time to time if they have a nibble on dairy milk then they have broken their resolution. Done, finished no point carrying on for the rest of the year, start again in 2022…. cycle continues.
So why don’t we be more kind to ourselves, have a bit of chocolate, just don’t eat the whole bar, have a glass of wine, just don’t drink the whole bottle? If we move the needle consistently in the direction of success, we begin to see progress.
Break your goals down into smaller chunks
A goal may be more realistic if it is chunked down into smaller habits, so it maybe I’m going to drink one less glass of wine per week, I’m not going to eat chocolate on a Monday and Tuesday, I’m going to find some alternative healthy sweet treats to satisfy the sweet craving, I’m going to walk to work on a Friday.
Be more specific with your goals
Be more specific, so by a specific date, I would like to lose 2 stone 2lbs. If you have a specific measure it really helps with checkpoints along the way
Make your progress measurable
Make it measurable, so by x date, I want to have lost 2 pounds.
Make it realistic
Realistic, if you say I want to lose 2 stone in one week, it is probably not going to happen, so it needs to be realistic, be kind to yourself.
Define a time
Lastly, make it time-based- so by when you want to have lost 2 stone and work back, so in 6 months I would like to be down 3kg the 12 months 6k etc. remember most people overestimate what they can do in one year but underestimate what they can do in 5.
Also getting a big enough WHY is really important, so this is a bit deep but when you have a big enough reason it is huge. Why do you want to lose 2 stone? I think it’s time I lost the weight, would like to fit into a summer outfit… that why won’t really stop you from resisting your cravings.
If it was ‘well I have been told by my Dr that if I don’t lose weight then it may affect my heart health long term’ then that gives you a pretty good reason.
To find your way, it may take a while to find a big enough reason to actually do it. If it doesn’t make you stop and think ‘Oh wow yes that’s it’ then it won’t move you or get you there.
One thing that is popular is making your goals public for example sharing them with a group of loved ones and friends, this allows them to hold you accountable.
Anyway hope this helps and if you are wondering ‘what a rude guy Jeremy is, he didn’t even ask me about my NY goals’.
But please let me know where you need help, I’m good at asking questions an helping you get to the root of what you want, so let me know. You can find my contact details here >
