Resolution Revival: Don't Give Up on Your Goals!

Now that it's February, that shiny New Year's resolution you so enthusiastically embarked on a month ago might have lost its sparkle. So how do you bring life back into your plan now that the initial thrill has worn off? Instead of letting your good intentions fizzle out again this year, make 2015 the year when you actually follow through with what you'd planned. All it takes is a little bit of self-reflection and a few tweaks to your routine to make a sustainable (and fun!) game plan to help you revive your resolutions and ultimately reach your goals.

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Step Into Shape with the 30-Day Walkabout Challenge!

Here at SparkPeople, it's no secret that we're big fans of walking. Almost anyone can start walking right away regardless of his or her fitness level, and it's a fantastic exercise for weight control and keeping the heart, bones and brain in tip-top shape. When it comes to starting a walking routine, the biggest hurdle for many people is simply starting. We've seen time and again that one of the easiest ways to step into walking (hah!) is to follow a structured plan to help maintain consistency while improving fitness at a safe and consistent pace. That's where the 30-Day Walkabout Challenge comes in! SparkPeople has partnered up with Vionic® with Orthaheel Technology footwear to create a doable, progressive walking program that's suitable for everyone. By joining the challenge, you'll receive a 30-day walking plan, a strength-training routine to help you become a stronger walker, plus daily challenges and smart injury-prevention tips to tie it all together. 

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The Biggest New Year's Resolution Fails (and How to Learn from Them)

Each January, people all over the world pledge to eat healthier, get fit, lose weight and become better people in general. Full of hope and ambition, they think: This is the year! Nothing will stop me from reaching my goals this time! But despite that initial resolve to change, we all know what eventually happens—the enthusiasm dies down, life takes over and all of those good intentions eventually get tossed out with the final remains of the New Year's confetti. According to the University of Scranton, just 8% of people who make New Year's resolutions actually succeed at keeping them.

But don't let those odds make you throw up your hands and resolve to not make any changes this year! It's all about the approach, not the resolution itself. Many people simply bite off more than they can chew, setting themselves up for failure from the get-go. However, if you make the right resolutions, you truly can be successful at keeping them—and you could even do more than what you'd initially intended. Here are some lessons real people like you have learned from their past failed resolutions. Take notes—these tips are going to help you become one of the 8% this year! 

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9 Tips to Stick to Your Goals in 2015

By now, the novelty of New Year’s resolutions has faded, and you might not be as motivated as you were on January 1^st. How do you make this year different, so that you don’t have to set the same goals again next year? Here are some simple things you can do to make it easier to stick to your goals this year and beyond.  

• Set the right kind of goals. It’s great to set a goal to lose 20 pounds this year, but how are you going to do it? Create SMART goals- Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. “I am going to lose the first 5 pounds by March 1^st. I will achieve this by eating in my recommended calorie range daily and walking for 20 minutes, 4 times a week.” This system gives you a clear plan for how and when you’re going to accomplish what you’ve set out to do. 
• Tell someone. Those around you (family, friends, co-workers, etc.) can be a great source of support as you make changes in your life. Ask your husband to keep your favorite junk food out of the house, or ask a friend to go for a walk instead of meeting for drinks. The people around you can help with accountability when motivation is lacking or you have doubts that you will succeed. 
• Be prepared for ups and downs. You’ll have good days when things are going smoothly and you’re totally on track. But you’ll also have those days when things aren’t going so well. What are you going to do in those moments when you feel like giving up? Changing habits and behaviors isn’t easy, so make a plan for the days when you need to dig deep and find the drive to continue moving forward. 
• Put reminders in visible places. Your goals should be top-of-mind so that you can stay focused and continue making progress. Write them down on sticky notes and put them in your car, on your refrigerator, on the bathroom mirror, or anywhere else you will see them multiple times a day to remind you of the commitment you’ve made. 
• Discover snacks that are good for you and healthy. Yes, it’s possible for healthy foods to taste good! Yogurt with fruit (instead of ice cream) can satisfy your sweet tooth and carrots with hummus (instead of chips and dip) can give you the crunch you’re craving. Baked sweet potato fries can taste just as good as French fries for a fraction of the calories and fat. Don’t be afraid to try something new, because you might be surprised at how good it tastes and how many calories it saves.  
• Reward yourself. Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well-done.  Don’t wait until you reach your ultimate goal to pat yourself on the back. Rewards don’t have to be fancy and expensive. Celebrate small milestones (like lifting more weight or losing a pant size) by doing something nice for yourself. 
• Make your goals a priority. It’s easier to hit the snooze button than get up early for a workout. It’s tempting to get dessert when everyone else is ordering it. But if you know those things are going to hurt instead of help your progress, it’s time to make some tough choices. Sometimes you have to put your goals ahead of other wants and needs in order to be successful.
• Have fun! If you hate eating broccoli, then don’t. If you hate walking on the treadmill, then don’t. Discover the foods and activities you enjoy, because it’s more likely you’ll stick with those long-term. Exercise and healthy eating shouldn’t be a chore you dread. They should be positive changes you feel you can live with for the rest of your life. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t kick back and relax or eat your favorite ice cream as a special treat. Everyone needs to live a little now and then! 
• Believe in yourself. Maybe you’ve set goals like these before and not succeeded. You can’t change the mistakes of the past, but you can learn from them and move forward. You have complete control over what happens from this moment on, so make the most of it! If you have confidence that you can do it, anything is possible!

This blog is made possible by Yoplait, a SparkPeople sponsor.

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10 Healthy Tips from a Marathoner Mom

Making significant healthy lifestyle changes—and maintaining them for the rest of your life--might seem next to impossible at first. But don't worry! At SparkPeople, we believe in taking small and manageable healthy steps that eventually become lifelong habits. Our sponsors at Meta also believe that small changes can lead to good things, and they even have a name for it: the Meta Effect. When you make a healthy choice like taking the stairs or eating a Meta Health Bar for a snack, you may continue to make good choices to keep the streak going.

We've talked to several people just like you who have changed their lives through this step-by-step approach--and now, they're sharing their secrets with you in this success story series! First up, meet Melody, a hard-working mom who has made small, lasting changes to help her family stay healthy. Her healthy journey has been a long one (over 7 years from the beginning until now), but her determination and hard work has paid off--and her husband and kids are now reaping the healthy benefits with her!
 
As a busy mom, it must be hard to fit in exercise some days! What are some of your favorite ways to sneak in small bits of activity throughout the day?
I homeschool my children, which means we work hard throughout the day on our studies. When we need a rest, we like to have a short "brain break" where we get up and get our bodies moving. We have crunch competitions, do jumping jacks, run in place, toss a ball, or even sprint to the end of our road. It gets our blood flowing and helps my kids get a quick break for their brains so they can focus better.  
 
Love the "brain break" idea! On top of the exercise, what small nutrition tweaks have you made to help you eat better and get healthier?
When I first started my health and wellness journey, I decided from the start that I was not going to cook separate "diet" food for myself while my family ate something different. So, I dusted off my recipe books and started learning to make meals we all could enjoy. I taught myself to cook from scratch with fresh, colorful foods. I let my kids pick healthy recipes they wanted to try, and we started keeping a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter and fresh veggies in the fridge for snacks. We even went to a nutritionist together as a family, where we learned about correct portion sizes and healthier food choices. 

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8 Ways to Snack Smarter in 2015

What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of snacking? Is it the excessive amount of chips and dip you ate at a party last weekend? Is it eating too many of the cookies in the pantry that seem to be calling your name?  Believe it or not, snacking can actually be a good thing! When you plan ahead and make healthy choices, snacks can help prevent overeating, give your diet a nutritional boost and leave you feeling more satisfied throughout the day. The key is learning how to make snacking work for you, instead of derailing your healthy eating efforts. Here are 8 tips to help you snack smarter in 2015. 

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10 Late-Night Snacks for 150 Calories or Less

Have you ever had those nights when it’s time to wind down for the evening and all you can think about is your grumbling belly? Is it better to just suffer through it and go to bed, or listen to your hunger cues and have a snack? Contrary to popular belief, late-night snacking doesn’t have to be a bad thing. A calorie is a calorie no matter when you eat it, and the last thing you want to do is go to bed hungry. Hunger can leave you feeling deprived and more likely to binge later on, so planning ahead by having healthy snacks on hand will help you resist the temptation to eat the pint of ice cream in the freezer or finish off the bag of chips in the pantry that seem to be calling your name. 

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