NEW YEAR, OLD YOU?

Did you know that 25% of people abandon their New Years resolutions in a week?

We’re now 10 days into the New Year, are you still on track or are you slipping back to your old ways?

We asked Cav Finch, Personal Trainer at JD Gyms Coventry, for his thoughts on why people give up quickly and how best to stick with it:

Being totally honest, motivation has its limits and even the most successful people in the world hit slumps. What makes them so successful is that they work through it and regain motivation. That’s what is special about January; the start of the New Year gives us all a ‘pick me up’ and a clean slate that’s a lot harder to come by at other times of the year.

Does motivation and a fresh start always result in change though, Cav?

No, motivation alone won’t get you to where you want to be – without action there will be no change. This means we have to take advantage of that new found motivation and join a gym, start your diet / eat better, quit smoking – take positive steps.

So why do people fail if they start to take action?

The answer is simple: they don’t ensure the changes become a habit. It takes 21-28 days for any repeated task to become a habit, or a subconscious / natural activity that becomes part of your daily lifestyle. That’s when achieving your goal becomes a lot more attainable.

Cav’s top tips for making your resolutions become reality:

  • Write down your goals to clarify what you want
  • Think about why you really want to achieve it / them
  • Think about how you’ll feel achieving your goals and write that feeling down
  • Think about how you’ll feel if you don’t achieve your goals, and write that feeling down
  • Once you really understand why you want to make the change, you’ll be much more likely to see that end result
  • If you feel yourself slipping, grab that piece of paper,  read it over again, add to it …. bring the emotion and belief back
  • By doing this, you’re so much more likely to see that resolution become a habit!

Good luck! 2017 really can be your year!

For more help in starting off your 2017 in a healthy way, speak to Cav or any of the Personal Trainers at your nearest branch of JD Gyms.