The holidays are over again and we are already a few days into the new year. Probably, like many others, you have also set some good intentions and goals that you want to achieve this year. The resolutions: eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight are common goals. Unfortunately, you often see that these resolutions are not achieved. Why is this? And what can you do to ensure that you can achieve your resolutions this year? In this article we have selected 6 tips to get you started.
1. Set realistic goals
Nothing is more frustrating than not achieving your goals. Motivation will weaken and often the towel is thrown in. After all, you have now "failed" anyway. This is why it is incredibly important to set realistic goals and work calmly toward the end goal. Often people want too much and too fast and it doesn't always work out. Of course it is good to be ambitious but stay realistic. Start with small steps and work toward the big end goal with intermediate goals. Achieving the intermediate goals will give you a motivation boost every time!
2. Make yourself accountable
When you're the only one who knows your good intentions, it's easy not to stick to them. You're more likely to have that one piece of fries, delicious piece of cake or skip an hour at the gym anyway. That's why it's important for others to know what you want to achieve. In the end, they can only help you by reminding you of your resolutions and motivating you. You'll find that this also makes you feel more accountable to your goals. So spread the word!
3. Set your goals positively
A positive mind is a positive life, therefore formulate your resolutions positively. We often want to get rid of bad habits in the new year. This results in negative resolutions such as "I don't want to eat a fatty snack anymore" or "I don't want to be stressed anymore. Remember that with these statements you are actually emphasizing something negative, and that doesn't exactly motivate you. Therefore, give it a positive spin, "I'm eating healthier" or " I'm taking good care of my body." This immediately sounds a lot more positive and gives a lot more energy.
4. Make your goals concrete
Making your goals concrete is very important. Get active and know what you need to do to achieve your goals. For example, if you want to eat healthier, plan your meals for that week in advance and do the shopping you will need. When you want to get fitter, plan in advance the workouts for the coming week. This will make it much easier to stick to it and much easier to achieve your goals.
5. Reward yourself
Rewarding yourself when you achieve a goal is super motivating. Agree with yourself and/or your partner that you can buy or do something if you have achieved your goal. For a reward you work a lot harder. So if a new sports outfit or a nice dinner is on the line, you will work a little harder to be successful.
6. Get enough sleep
This is actually a good resolution that everyone should put on their list. After all, sleep is more important than you might think. Too little sleep makes you moody, irritable, stressed and fat. Too little sleep will make you think more negatively about yourself and your surroundings. So there are plenty of reasons to get enough sleep.
7. Be enthusiastic
Last but not least... Be enthusiastic about your good intentions. Because if you are not, it will be difficult to keep them. Think carefully about why you have a particular resolution and also look at the result. Why do you want to exercise more? Why do you want to lose weight? Or why do you want to eat healthier? Do you get excited by the idea of being fit and feeling good in your skin? Then you are much more likely to achieve these goals!
