How to Start a New Year’s Diet or Exercise Plan
Big shock, we’re heading into a new year and the fitness guy is talking about new year’s resolutions for diet and exercise. Of course, I am, because YOU are thinking about them, you probably started thinking about them a few weeks ago as you ate those Thanksgiving leftovers. Some of you have big ideas, and some have smaller visions for 2022, and the beginning of the year offers a “fresh start” feel that we would be foolish not to embrace. Let’s get started!
Take the next few moments to think about and write down your goals for the upcoming year.
No seriously, do it. Don’t just keep reading. Take your time. I will wait.
Got your goals? Did you write them down? Good, that is the easy part. Now ask yourself the defining question. “What are you going to do to achieve these goals?”
And here is where many people will stop, along with their good ideas and intentions.
Best New Year exercise or diet tip: If you want to achieve your goals, your behaviors must align with them. There must be verbs…ACTIONS to go along with your ideas in order to see results. Put another way, as I say to clients, “You must ACT like you want ______.” You need an action plan. Read through some of my clients’ past goals and plans for ideas.
Goal: Lose 15 pounds of fat.
Actions:
- Download food journaling/calorie counting app for phone to track food intake
- Walk 3 days/week @ 30 minutes each
- Drink 2 bottles of water every day
- Talk to my wife, and give her permission to ask me how I’m doing.
- Look at Cobblestone Grill’s menu (available online) and pre-plan my order for our next date night.
Goal: Get my back in better shape.
Actions:
- Schedule an appointment with a physician
- Walk 10 minutes on the treadmill every day
- Actually do the exercises prescribed by the physical therapist
- Be more attentive to my sitting posture at work
- Ask my husband to hold me accountable
Can you see how these folks have gone beyond an idea and developed assignments that move them in the direction they want to go? Some of these assignments will be very uncomfortable, but this is exactly the kind of action needed to really make a change.
Now it’s your turn. So, I ask the same question again, but will rephrase: “how are you going to behave today to accomplish your goals?”
Choose the goals that are most significant to you, and under them write down actions/behaviors that will lead you towards achieving your goals. Start with what you will do “today”, then “this week”, and onto “this month”. It may seem daunting at first, so pick actions you KNOW you can get done. You can always add harder actions as you experience success. And if you need help or don’t know where to begin…just ask!
New Year Goals are great, but often go unrealized when your behaviors don’t match up with what you say you want to accomplish. Take the next step by planning the actions that will move you closer to your goal this year. I can’t wait to hear of your success!
If you need help developing a plan for your specific fitness, health, fat-loss resolutions, call us today! Our experienced personal trainers are ready to help! Zionsville studio 317-344-9844. Carmel Studio 317-660-1107.