Real Resolutions!

A lot of people begin the New Year by making resolutions. We’ve all been there. We take a vow to lose weight, exercise more or spend more time with our family. We start the year with great intentions, but then we quickly relapse into old habits. Why is it so hard to stick to those New Year’s resolutions?

Here are some ways you can make your intentions a reality this year:

1. Write down your intentions and keep them in a visible place, like taped to your bedroom mirror or the dashboard of your car.

2. Get to the source of whatever is keeping you in a rut. Are you in a stressful relationship that causes you to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s every night? Are you stressed at your job and feel too tired to exercise after work? If you don’t tackle the root of the behavior, it will be much harder to accomplish your goal.

3. Be clear about what your life would look like once you achieve your goal. If you resolve to go to the gym more, how will this benefit you? Get connected to the result of your action, and
you will be more likely to stick with your plan.

4. Share your resolutions with friends and family, and find a supportive community or person (like a health coach!) that can hold you  accountable for achieving your goals.

5. Reward yourself with every little accomplishment. If your intention is to lose weight and you lose 1 pound a week, pamper yourself with a massage.

6. Be mindful in the moment. You always have a choice in how you respond to the situations around you. Take a breathe before acting to make sure you are making conscious choices that support your resolutions rather than getting caught up in reactive choices and old patterns.  Question each reactive pattern you notice to see if it is really the best action for you in this moment.

7. Improve your relationship with yourself and your body. Many resolutions fail because we set rigid rules for ourselves and then hate ourselves for lack of will power when we can't follow these rules perfectly. Leave room in your resolution to listen to your body and be flexible. If you gain a trusting relationship with your body and pay attention to it's signs your body will ask for what it needs to be healthy and you will achieve lifelong weight loss and health. Keeping a food diary as described in the next article is a great way to start understanding and ultimately loving yourself and your body.

Big changes do not require big leaps. Permanent change is more likely to happen gradually than through one big restrictive plan. Allow yourself to climb the ladder one rung at a time.

Note: Sprout Wellbeing will be offering a "Real Resolutions" weekly health coaching support group through Parks and Recreation starting Jan 26th. If you are interested in getting the support of a group and a health coach to help you stick with your resolutions and have lasting health changes, please go to www.pullman-wa.gov/DrawOnePage.aspx?PageID=209 to read the description and register by Monday Jan 17.