We’re on the cusp of a new year, bringing promises of healthy eating habits, rigorous training regimes and crossing some big outdoor activities off our bucket lists. It’s a time to hike further, climb higher and run faster and here at Grangers, we commend you! Initially, the start of a new year helps us to reach our goals but as the weeks pass, our motivation can dwindle. From maintaining a regular gym schedule to marathon training, we understand sticking to New Year's resolutions can be a bumpy path to success (the universe likes to throw hurdles our way), so we have curated a list of the best tips for keeping your resolutions. We know that our wonderful Grangers family are an active bunch but even professionals need a little help sometimes.
1. PLAN
One of the most important steps in sticking to your resolutions is to plan ahead. Outlining your goals and the timeframes in which you want to achieve them will be a massive help once the initial New Year enthusiasm leaves you. Firstly, you should be really clear with yourself about what you want to achieve, leaving no room for doubts or shortcuts when you’re feeling a dip in inspiration. You should also stay realistic, e.g. don’t set yourself the challenge of climbing Mount Everest if you’re not an exceptionally experienced climber. Instead, set yourself smaller goals that will lead to you achieving this in a few years. This will help you to complete your goals without them seeming completely out of reach. Detailing each step of your objective can help you visualise where you want to be by the end of the year, offering you a feasible path to accomplish this. Additionally, planning allows you to hit mini targets along the way, giving you that much-needed boost when your ambition plateaus.
2. TRACK
Tracking your progress is a smart move. Documenting key achievements during your resolution journey can be a big help. Comparing the stats of where you were at the start of the year versus a few weeks or months in can spur the continuation of your hard work. Sometimes, seeing the results in black and white, either via progress logs, diary entries or photo updates, is valuable in helping you stick to your resolution. It can show you how far you’ve come and encourage you to persevere.
3. DISCUSS
It’s OK to get a little bit obsessed. And talking about how you’re progressing with your resolutions is a great outlet. Discussing your fitness evolution with others not only generates motivation but also garners inspiration, providing you with useful tips and advice that can prove invaluable. Finding people who are trying to achieve similar goals can be monumental, offering you support when you’re struggling and acting as a sounding board when you want to change things up. Speaking about your routine also helps to maintain a healthy passion towards it; wanting to talk about it is a sign that it’s something you’re actually enjoying and, you never know, you could inspire others to take on their own active challenge.
4. REWARD
When you reach important milestones in your New Year resolution journey, it is only right that you reward yourself. Just don’t go crazy and do something that can impact your progress, like eating a whole chocolate gateau or having one too many pints at the local pub. Rewarding yourself with a special treat can help to break your plan up into small, feasible chunks, enabling you to focus solely on your next mini-milestone rather than the whole quest. Viewing your resolution through achievable, bitesize blocks is far less overwhelming, giving you small targets to work for that will propel you towards your end goal without it seeming like a never-ending struggle.
5. STAY POSITIVE
They say a habit forms over 66 days. You are bound to face challenges along the way, both physical and psychological, and these can knock your confidence, making your success feel impossible. But 66 days (or two-and-a-bit months) of sticking to your resolutions is very attainable. Don’t dwell on the negatives; at times, your brain will try to dissuade you from that training session, the early morning run or that long-distance hike. Don’t let it win. If you do give in to the irresistible temptation of your warm bed or eating foods not on your diet plan, don’t be too hard on yourself – you’re only human! It’s important to continue with your plan and focus on all the hard work you’ve put into achieving your end goal. If you bump into a minor setback, so what? That doesn’t mean that you should throw in the towel. Keep going, visualise your objective and you’ll get there. After a while, your regime will become a lot easier as your body relaxes into the routine. You can do it!
We know how difficult maintaining your resolutions can be – sticking to them can be a gruelling task. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel! You get to achieve something you’ve always wanted, push yourself to be better and prove to yourself that you can do anything you set your mind upon. 2024 is your year… get out there and seize it! #withgrangersyoucan
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