The Top 6 Strategies for Keeping New Year's 

Resolutions Year Round! 

-By Mark Woodgate

(Owner/ Manager of Bay Bodyfit Health & Fitness Centre,
Fitness Director of Body Blueprint Personal Training)

Every year thousands of people make new year's resolutions ranging from giving up smoking, to getting more organised, to getting fit and losing weight.

However, according to studies, 35% of all New Year's Resolutions are broken within the first 4 weeks. How about you? Have you ever started the New Year with an initial burst of enthusiasm and the firm resolve to change your ways, but by February those nasty habits have crept back in again? 

If so, this article is for you! Read on to find out how to keep your New Year's resolutions year round. 

The Number 1 New Year's Resolution. 

A survey conducted by a leading international health magazine revealed that the number 1 New Year's Resolutions are:

a) Lose Weight and b) Get Fit!

We're all aware of the importance of maintaining a healthy bodyweight and adequate level of cardiovascular fitness. After all, your health and fitness is the foundation for everything that's good in life.
Therefore, if you're tired of being overweight, unfit, unhealthy (or all of the above) and your New Year's Resolution is to lose weight and get fit, here are the top 6 strategies to integrate into your daily lifestyle and avoid being a New Year's Resolutionary drop out! 

1) Avoid the 'All or Nothing' Approach!

Ok, you're all fired up. You're going to lose 20 pounds in the first 20 days. And to achieve this you're going to go on a low carb, low calorie diet of less than 1500 cals per day. Plus you're going to exercise 6 days per week for a minimum of 1 hour at a time. 

Sounds doable, right? But here's why this approach is guaranteed to fail! It all has to do with SUSTAINABILITY... 

95% of people who go on calorie reduced commercial diets regain their weight -and sometimes more -within a period of 24 months or less. Always ask the question, 'Can I sustain this type of eating plan week after week, month after month, year after year? Or am I be likely to feel deprived, give in to cravings and overindulge within a few short weeks. (The most common scenario.)  

Plus with all that exercise, there's a good chance that the weight you lose is not going to be just bodyfat. Excessive exercise, coupled with a calorie reduced diet, usually results in a loss of water weight and lean muscle. This means that your weight loss is likely to be very temporary as your reduced lean muscle mass actually compromises your body's ability to burn fat in the longterm.* 

Therefore your nutrition plan should be one you can adhere to without any deprivation. This means having the occasional cheat meal built into your plan so that you'll be less likely to go off the rails!

If your nutrition plan / training programme is too strict you'll most likely get frustrated and give up. That's why it's called 'all or nothing.' We need to find the middle road!  

Programmes such as the Body Blueprint 5 Week LEAN Programme and Body Blueprint 12 Week Challenge have sensible, balanced nutrition plans and the exercise component is only 4-5 hours per week. In other words, these programmes are also sustainable in the longterm.  

As you've established that your health and fitness is your top priority, make sure to book your exercise times in your weekly planner. This is YOUR time! In other words, schedule everything else around these times. And remember, work commitments will always be waiting no matter what. If you delay exercising, the more likely it is that other things will present themselves during the course of the day and consume your precious workout time. 

Tip: Where possible, train first thing in the morning. It's a great way to start the day and studies show you'll burn more fat as well.

3) Get Organised! 

Don't leave it to chance! If your nutrition plan calls for 3 small meals and 2 small snacks everyday, spend an extra 15 mins in the evening and prepare your meals ahead of time. (the best time is when you're preparing dinner.) Not only will this save you time the next day, you'll be less likely to indulge on unhealthy snacks and save money in the process. 

And don't forget to have your workout gear, trainers and ipod ready to go for the next day!  

4) Surround Yourself with Supportive People 

Know that there will be times when the going gets tough and when you'd rather have a day off or have an extra cheat meal. (Don't get me wrong, every now and then is fine, just make it the exception rather than the rule.) 

It's in these moments that it really helps to have supportive friends, family and/or co-workers. Make friends with members at your local gym who share in your common goals and who have found ways to overcome these temporary challenges. You might even consider working out with a buddy. Not only will this keep your workouts fun and exciting, you'll have some healthy competition as well!  

5) Remind Yourself Why!

If you find that you start to procrastinate and excuses creep in, remind yourself why you started exercising and eating well in the first place. What was it that motivated you to change your ways? Perhaps you were tired of feeling run down and low on energy? Maybe you wanted to start feeling more confident and boost your self esteem? Perhaps you wanted to have more energy for your kids? Do you really want to go back to that 'dark place' by neglecting your health? 

However, once you've been exercising consistently for a couple of months I guarantee you'll experience some major physical and psychological benefits that will keep you coming back for more! 

6) Use External Sources of Motivation

Unless you're a very highly motivated individual it's unrealistic to stay 100% motivated 100% of the time. Some of the external motivational tools you can draw upon from time to time include:  

a) Personal trainers. 

Think of a personal trainer as your personal coach. They can design new programmes, spice up your workouts and train with you one on one. Appointments at set intervals keep you accountable and on target toward your goals. 

b) Motivational CD's/ Books /Movies

Some of my favourites include motivational guru Anthony Robbins and the book /movie 'The Secret' by Rhonda Byrne.

c) Inspirational Music 

Music is an excellent compliment to your exercise programme. Make a playlist of your favourite motivational songs for your mp3 or ipod and watch your workouts soar! 

Conclusion 

Make this year the healthiest year of your life. By following the principles outlined above you'll keep your New Year's Resolution intact and enjoy the benefits of health and fitness year round.