Tips To Help You Reach Your New Year’s Resolutions

"New Year's resolutions" are almost synonymous to "better health." Whether it's to lose weight, stop smoking, drink less, eat healthier, many changes desired to be made are in reference to healthier living. To ensure you achieve your goal, there are a few things you should do 2 weeks before your start date to keep yourself in line.

Know your goals: Long-term or final goals are essential; but what about your short-term goals? People tend to forget about short-term goals, which are necessary in order to accomplish long-term goals. Getting rid of 20 pounds in four months is a smart long-term goal, but it can be overwhelming to consider that day after day tasks to get to lose the weight.

Short-term goals for losing 20 pounds in four months can include eating 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of veggies a day for the first three weeks. After those three weeks, another short-term goal could be to increase cardio time by 6 minutes each session for the next four weeks. Having those shorter goals to look forward to will shorten the overall time frame of the long-term goal, hence increasing your chances of achieving it.

Know your weaknesses: If there is anything that is going to keep you from reaching your long-term goals, get rid of it. If it is something that needs to be removed from your house, ask someone else to keep it. If it is a store or restaurant, avoid it all cost; even if it means you have take a different route to do so. And forget about trying to be strong and tempting yourself. Instead admit your weakness and just stay away from the temptation.

Substitute your weakness with something that will make you stronger (For example, instead of buying treats at the store, buy flowers and display them around your house to remind you how well you're doing!).

Get a support system: A support system is a good way to stay motivated because you will not want to let the people down who are holding you accountable. Enlist family members, friends, or even an internet health site as a part of your support system.

Keep a journal: Remind yourself of what you've done throughout your journey of your short-term and long-term goals. How did you feel when you accomplished your daily tasks? What pitfalls did you encounter and how can you avoid those the next time? Write down thoughts you have about your goals or life in general and try to be as positive as you can when recounting your experiences. Read your journal from the first page to the current date at the end of each week to help you start the coming week on geared up and ready to go.

To remind yourself of your goals, get a calendar for the New Year, two index cards, a marker, and a pencil. The first thing you need to do is write down your long-term goal on the index cards with the marker. Pin or tape one card next to the calendar on the wall and the other card on mirror in your bathroom.

Choose the date you wish to accomplish the long-term goal by, write it on your calendar, and circle the date with the marker. Using the pencil, write the short-term goals on your calendar and circle those dates too. Also, write down the specific daily things you will be doing; such as details of workout session, meal plans, water amounts, etc., that are the basis for your long-term goal in whatever you use daily to log in important dates.

Consistently using these tips will help you reach that goal and live a healthier life! Remember to celebrate all your successes, big or small, and if you veer off course, it's never too late to get back on again.