As many in our K-State family have been hit with the flu and other ailments of
the season, keeping those New Year’s Resolutions is probably the last thing on our minds. Especially since half of those resolutions don’t make it past January. However, with the Naturally Slim program starting this week, the ideas of losing weight and/or getting healthy are on the minds of many of us. If you struggle to stick to new habits and/or kick an old one, here are some helpful hints to get you closer to achieving your personal goals.
- Specific. Your resolution should be very clear and concrete. Making vague goals like “I want to lose weight” are setting you up for failure. Instead, decide how much weight you want to lose and at what time interval. Losing 5 pounds in two months is very doable.
- Measurable. This is important for weight loss or fitness goals but it can be used to cut back on something too…like binge-watching Netflix! Set an egg timer to allow yourself a certain amount of time and commit to doing something else when the buzzer goes off. It also helps to log progress in a journal or by using an app on your phone. Physically logging your progress is a great way to reinforce behaviors that lead to success, no matter what your resolution may be.
- Achievable. Set big goals but be sure to break them up into smaller ones that will not seem so overwhelming. If you are trying to save for retirement, be realistic about the amount you can save each month. Even if it is $50, you will enjoy the success of meeting a small goal en-route to achieving the larger one.
- Relevant. Ask yourself what is your motivation for achieving your goal? If you are motivated by guilt or a momentary “high” than it won’t be enough to keep you going. However, if you spend some time thinking about how your goal will improve your quality of life, your relationships, or just your over-all well-being, you have a significantly greater chance for success.
- Time-bound. Like achievable, the time-line to reach your goals should be realistic too. Give yourself enough time to achieve the smaller goals along the way. Charles Duhigg, author of “The Power of a Habit” said
“If you’re building a habit, you’re planning for the next decade, not the next couple of months.”
