New Year’s Resolutions
From the team at Be Well Health Group we wish you all a Happy New Year and a big warm welcome to 2021!
This time of year we are typically quite busy in the clinic, with many people making some amazing and enthusiastic goals heading into the year, particularly around physical activity and health. This blog is all about providing you with a framework for your New Year’s goals to set us all on the right path!
In 1988, the University of Scranton completed a study that showed 77% of people who committed to a New Year’s goal stuck it out for a week, and 19% completed it in 2 years. Many people have sworn off resolutions for this reason... they just don’t stick!
Largely, this is due to the goal being too much, too unsustainable with regular life, or perhaps just not action oriented enough. A prime example of this is the common goal of weight loss.
Tip 1: Make it ACTION ORIENTATED
Weight loss is a result, not an action. When people go out for a walk and you ask what they are doing, they don’t say “I’m losing weight’. They say “I’m going for a walk”! If you set your goals around action, the result will naturally flow!
So instead of “I want to lose 2kg”, a better example would be highlighting the activities that would naturally RESULT in losing 2kg, and focusing your attention on the task. You will find it much more enjoyable, and long lasting after the 2kg is gone.
Tip 2: Be SMART
SMART stands for “Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound”.
Specific: Be as specific as you can. “I want to start riding my bike”.
Measurable: This is a variable you are tracking. It can be anything. The time on the bike, the sessions you do, your heart rate during the sessions... “I want to ride my bike, and I want to keep my heart rate at 65% of my maximum for the entire session”.
Achievable: This is where many come unstuck, particularly with time commitment and volume. Pick a time and training load you KNOW you can do, not what someone tells you is relevant. “I want to ride my bike, 3 x per week, on the 3 mornings where my partner is able to get the kids ready for school, and I want to keep my heart rate at 65% of my maximum for the entire session”.
Relevant: This is in my experience where most people fall down. It has to be something you WANT to do. Something that gives you vigour. Something you love, or that fills your cup. Many of us pick goals that society, family, friends or the media pick for us. I have used riding as an example as this person enjoys riding. This could be another goal – painting, journaling, playing an instrument, meditating, listening to a podcast or reading. It is completely up to you! “I want to ride my bike, 3 x per week, on the 3 mornings where my partner is able to get the kids ready for school. I want to keep my heart rate at 65% of my maximum for the entire session and I am doing it because riding allows me to use my body to connect with nature, and exercise is important to me”.
Time-bound: A goal that takes up too much time, or has no exact time dedicated to it will be too hard to keep up. This particular goal, I find getting the amount you ideally want to do, and halving it.
Compare the pair...
“I think I’m going to start riding this year”.
vs.
“I want to ride my bike, 3 x per week, for 30 minutes per session on the 3 mornings where my partner is able to get the kids ready for school. I want to keep my heart rate at 65% of my maximum for the entire session and I am doing it because riding allows me to use my body to connect with nature, and exercise is important to me”.
Whatever your goal is in 2021, if you approach it SMART-ly, we have no doubt you will surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
2021… let’s do this!