Cheers to a Happy, Healthy New Year!

May 2019 bring you a year of positive transformation….

Do you have a New Year’s goal or resolution, but find it hard to stick to and achieve? Do you find that year after year, you feel you have let yourself down when you lose track of your end goal? You are definitely not alone! Many of us tend to have unrealistic expectations when we set forth our new aspirations. So why not set us up for success so that we are more likely to maintain the ambitions we are striving to reach. When we reflect on our past year’s behaviours and look ahead at the coming year, here are some suggestions to help keep you on track when choosing your resolutions:

1. Choose a New Year’s resolution that is easily achievable. If you don’t exercise much at the moment, but want to get into better shape, then try to choose something that you enjoy doing (or are interested in learning), rather than picking an activity you are going to dread doing. In addition, perhaps choose an activity you can stick to 3 times weekly, rather than committing to it daily.
2. Find a goal that is within your budget. Many new, fad diets can cost a lot of money and drain your bank account. There are many gyms out there that can be costly on a monthly basis. If you are going to use the membership to its fullest, then it may be worthwhile, but if not, there are many activities that we can enjoy in the Sea-to-Sky corridor that don’t cost us much (if anything) except for our time. These can include running, hiking or swimming.
3. Be patient with yourself. If you are trying to cut out sugar, and you slip and indulge a bit, then that is okay! Don’t beat yourself up too much. It is all about forgiving yourself (you are only human!) and getting back on track.
4. Stay focussed. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming when you are trying to kick a habit, such as smoking. Keep your eye on the prize. Know why you are quitting – perhaps write these reasons down and read them back to yourself daily. When you are focussed on this positive outcome, you are going to be more likely to reach your end goal.
5. Reward yourself. If you are trying to lose 15 lbs for example, that can seem daunting. Focus on the first 5 lbs and when you reach that goal, treat yourself to something you deserve. It could be going for a massage or indulging in a spa treatment, or going out for a special dinner at your favourite restaurant.
6. Don’t isolate yourself, ask for support. Trying to reach your goal can sometimes be hard to do on your own. If you choose to go out for a run for 30 minutes, 3x per week, motivation can sometimes be the deciding factor whether you get out the door or not. Find a buddy to go for a run with. Or ask your partner to support your new dietary regime by eating the same healthy dinners you do. This will allow you to set yourself up for the best success possible.
7. The glass is half full, not half empty. Rather than looking at all of the attributes you are lacking (or you think you are lacking), concentrate on all of the amazing qualities you have! Allow yourself to still be YOU. Acceptance is key. So rather than focusing on changing who you are, perhaps look at ways you can fine-tune a specific skill to make yourself even that much stronger. Maybe there is a yoga pose you have always wanted to do but haven’t mastered yet. Or if you play a musical instrument, perhaps you will conquer a new song you have always wanted to play.

Happy New Year! Here’s hoping that 2019 brings you much health, love, happiness, and positive lifestyle change!

Author Info

Ashely Gordon