We are 7 weeks into the New Year and I just wanted to check in and see how everyone’s New Year’s resolutions are going? I know you all didn’t think I was just going to let you slide with ZERO accountability. This particular blog post occurred as a result of a conversation I had with my kids over breakfast the other day. They were talking about their New Year’s resolutions and I had been asking them how that had been going so far. They had begun the year with gusto and excitement to make these awesome changes, Zandi wanted to eat more vegetables and Tanatswa wanted to avoid saying no to mommy. Initially they had been on top of it and I watched them daily as they worked on their resolutions, then it became a little more sporadic, every few days they would get back on them. Seven weeks have passed, there is very little activity related to the resolutions and they are almost ashamed to talk about them. I try to reassure them that it’s ok that they haven’t been consistent and that they can just resume. Unfortunately the excitement is gone and there is not much I can do to get them to be excited about their resolutions.
Take my kids out of the picture and insert yourself and your own New Year’s resolution to lose weight. Do you notice any similarities? I can bet you here are. I know this because I began working with some ladies who were initially excited about their new year’s resolutions and yet as the time went by they were less excited about their resolutions, some even wanted to quit. The reason why these ladies are still on their journey even though the initial excitement of the New Year has worn off is as follows:
1. Having a plan
The ladies that began working with me started with a plan. It was well thought out and well designed with their specific goals in mind. They are less likely to fall off the wagon because they have a clear road map to get them where they want to be. I learned this on my own journey over the years. If you attempt to fly by the seat of your pants, you are setting yourself up for failure. Review my New Year’s Resolutions Webinar and create a road map to get you to your destination. Or better still contact me and let me help you plan a sure fire way to get you going and on your way towards your goals.
2. 21 days to a habit
I love this one and those who have been watching me over the last few weeks know what I’m talking about. I resumed my fitness journey (after having taken over 2 weeks off from the gym due to my travels followed by the flu). It was hard getting back in the gym and I felt like a newbie. I had a tough time waking up and my endurance and strength had declined significantly. But I committed to 21 days and sure enough it’s been well over 21 days and my gym habit is back. I knew that if I could get my clients to stay on their plan for 21 days or more a big part of the battle had been won. Their new healthy habits are now an integral part of their life.
3. Accountability
I truly believe that being accountable in one form or another makes one likely to stick to their goals. I formed an alliance with my trainer and I made sure I didn’t miss training sessions and that we were talking about my goals continuously. I do the same thing for my clients. I won’t let them give up and I won’t give up on them. They have weekly check in forms, weekly check in calls and monthly measurement charts to help them stay on track. The fact that, that they are paying for a valuable service; an investment in their mental and physical health and in their future keeps them committed to the process.
4. Small tangible goals
Finally, when making a lifestyle change it is important to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. I have helped my clients do this and it makes it a lot easier to work towards a few pounds in the present rather than a lot of pounds in the far away future. More specifically rather than “I want to lose weight”, I work with my clients to come up with a tangible goal, a specific number than we can break down by month and by week. Trust me, it is a lot easier that way. Imagine if you want to lose 50 pounds and you get on the scale and find that you’ve only lost 4 pounds. You think to yourself, “What? 4 pounds after ALL that? Forget it”. Whereas if you are working towards losing 4 pounds every 4 weeks it’s something to celebrate and you’ll work harder towards your next 4 pounds.
Take stock of your progress. Where are you succeeding? Where are you struggling? Are you still on your journey? It doesn’t matter if you have gotten off track. You can always start over. Today is a new day. Seize the opportunity and resume your weight loss journey with a plan and a purpose.
Take my kids out of the picture and insert yourself and your own New Year’s resolution to lose weight. Do you notice any similarities? I can bet you here are. I know this because I began working with some ladies who were initially excited about their new year’s resolutions and yet as the time went by they were less excited about their resolutions, some even wanted to quit. The reason why these ladies are still on their journey even though the initial excitement of the New Year has worn off is as follows:
1. Having a plan
The ladies that began working with me started with a plan. It was well thought out and well designed with their specific goals in mind. They are less likely to fall off the wagon because they have a clear road map to get them where they want to be. I learned this on my own journey over the years. If you attempt to fly by the seat of your pants, you are setting yourself up for failure. Review my New Year’s Resolutions Webinar and create a road map to get you to your destination. Or better still contact me and let me help you plan a sure fire way to get you going and on your way towards your goals.
2. 21 days to a habit
I love this one and those who have been watching me over the last few weeks know what I’m talking about. I resumed my fitness journey (after having taken over 2 weeks off from the gym due to my travels followed by the flu). It was hard getting back in the gym and I felt like a newbie. I had a tough time waking up and my endurance and strength had declined significantly. But I committed to 21 days and sure enough it’s been well over 21 days and my gym habit is back. I knew that if I could get my clients to stay on their plan for 21 days or more a big part of the battle had been won. Their new healthy habits are now an integral part of their life.
3. Accountability
I truly believe that being accountable in one form or another makes one likely to stick to their goals. I formed an alliance with my trainer and I made sure I didn’t miss training sessions and that we were talking about my goals continuously. I do the same thing for my clients. I won’t let them give up and I won’t give up on them. They have weekly check in forms, weekly check in calls and monthly measurement charts to help them stay on track. The fact that, that they are paying for a valuable service; an investment in their mental and physical health and in their future keeps them committed to the process.
4. Small tangible goals
Finally, when making a lifestyle change it is important to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. I have helped my clients do this and it makes it a lot easier to work towards a few pounds in the present rather than a lot of pounds in the far away future. More specifically rather than “I want to lose weight”, I work with my clients to come up with a tangible goal, a specific number than we can break down by month and by week. Trust me, it is a lot easier that way. Imagine if you want to lose 50 pounds and you get on the scale and find that you’ve only lost 4 pounds. You think to yourself, “What? 4 pounds after ALL that? Forget it”. Whereas if you are working towards losing 4 pounds every 4 weeks it’s something to celebrate and you’ll work harder towards your next 4 pounds.
Take stock of your progress. Where are you succeeding? Where are you struggling? Are you still on your journey? It doesn’t matter if you have gotten off track. You can always start over. Today is a new day. Seize the opportunity and resume your weight loss journey with a plan and a purpose.
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