Are You Having New Year's Resolution Success?

By , SparkPeople Blogger
So many people start out the New Year full of momentum, ready to change their lives for the better. Maybe you've set a goal to lose weight and get fit. You start the year full of excitement, and even lose a few pounds before the novelty begins to wear off. Sound familiar? If it does, then you're not alone. According to one SparkPeople.com poll, more than 50% of people report losing momentum within the first two weeks of starting a diet, and almost 20% lose willpower within 3 days. If you've made it this far with your goals, congratulations! If not, what can you do right now to get back on track?

We tend to be creatures of habit, so it's very easy to fall into familiar routines if you're not careful. It can take a long time for health-related changes to feel like a normal part of your day. Perhaps you're still struggling to develop a consistent exercise routine, or you started with too much, too soon and you're feeling burned out. Maybe you've been very strict with your diet over the past month or so, and the temptation to fall off the wagon is looming. Before you start getting discouraged, there are a few important things to keep in mind.

First of all, it's okay to revise your goals. Now that you've been into this for a month or so, maybe you're realizing that your goal to lose 20 pounds in 3 months was a little too ambitious. You're better off revising your goals to make them more realistic. That doesn't mean you're a failure or you're not working hard. It means you're willing to be flexible and make changes to ensure your success. Consider revisiting your goals to make sure they are right for you.

Second, no one is perfect. We all have good days where we stay on track and focused. But we all have those days that don't go quite as well as planned. It might seem easier to throw in the towel on those bad days, but don't give up! It's important to learn from your mistakes and move forward. One of my favorite quotes says something like "Failure isn't about falling down- it's about not getting back up."

Personally, my goals for the year are going okay so far. I have a few that need a clear plan if I'm going to achieve them, and I haven't done that yet. So planning my steps to success is on the top of my to-do list. If you're looking for help setting and revising your goals, check out A Blueprint for Goal Acheivement and Smart Goal-Setting Techniques.

How are your goals going for the New Year? If things aren't going well, what are you going to do to turn things around?