A new year is approaching, and many of us will be wondering how we can improve ourselves for the better in the coming weeks. The ideal scenario for most people would be to jump right into the new year aiming for our goals and keeping up those standards all throughout the year. Most of us would like to dedicate ourselves to making our lives better, and the initial rush of excitement we get from starting on these goals keeps us successful in the beginning. The real struggle is making sure that those changes last.
Starting out a new year’s resolution is the time when most people are successful. Holding on to those resolutions as the year goes by is where most of us fail. After the initial excitement goes down, we lose our will to continue on our self improvement journeys. More than half of all resolutions fail not too long after new year’s. We fall back into all the bad habits we wanted to get rid of, and then wait until the next new year to try and change once again.
Going to the gym is one of the most popular new year's resolutions, and regular gym goers everywhere have to prepare for the temporary influx of people with resolutions every January. The same goes for other popular resolutions. Make this the year you fully dedicate yourself to self improvement! Here are a few tips on how you can actually stick to your resolutions this new year.
Choose Resolutions that Will Not Be Impossible to Keep
Go for an exercise routine that will be easy to hold on to. Something that is simple and fun is an exercise you are most likely to hold onto compared to something that feels a lot more difficult.
Exercise
There are a few resolutions that people commonly make, and usually give up on. You can make sure that your resolutions last this time by modifying those resolutions. For instance, the most popular new year’s resolution is fitness and weight loss. Most people go about accomplishing that goal by signing up for gym memberships. This causes a huge influx of gym goers every January that won’t be seen any longer by the time February comes around.
Choosing a fun and easy form of exercise is key to sticking to your fitness resolutions. Walking and biking are great options that don't require a gym membership. However, if you do decide to hit the gym, focusing on back exercises like the deadlift, bent-over row, pull-up, and lat pulldown can improve posture and overall fitness.
The gym is a lot to dedicate yourself to. It might seem like a simple solution to exercise, but it can actually be difficult to maintain a strict gym schedule right away. The gym can be an intimidating place when you’re not used to it. You may not be sure on where to start or how to continue with your workouts overtime.
You’re more likely to hold onto your resolutions if you choose a form of exercise that is fun and easy to do. You also don’t have to jump into a regular exercise schedule head first, you can try out little things that will improve your fitness level in the long run. Try renting a bike instead of taking the bus. There are “healthy ride” bikes all across the city you can rent to make traveling easier and healthier. You can pick one up and drop one off in just about any Pittsburgh neighborhood. There are also plenty of bike trails you can use to get around.
Walking is also a very simple way to get some exercise in. Instead of driving or taking a bus, try walking from time to time. It’s not something that is strenuous or would take much time out of your day. Walking to and from your destinations will make you much more fit without reliance on the gym. You can even take a walk through some of Pittsburgh’s best parks. Schenley Park is one of Pittsburgh’s best and biggest parks. Simply walking through there and taking some time to explore every once in a while will improve your health.
Healthy Eating
Another common new year’s resolution is healthy eating. It can be hard to go from an average or a below average diet to a healthy one overnight, but there are a few things you can do to make sure your diet becomes a lot healthier. Many people are inclined to try out meal planning to get healthy, but it’s not something that is easy to sustain. This lifestyle choice is an easy one for those who have already dedicated time to this practice, but is not easy for everyone to jump right into. It takes a lot of focus and planning to keep it up long term.
An easier way to carry out your healthy eating resolution is to pick healthier foods while you’re out and about. Most of us pick up food while we’re out every once in a while, and those foods often aren’t the healthiest. If you want to change your diet in ways that are simple to hold on to, try going for healthier options while you’re out.
Instead of picking up fast food, try places that sell healthier foods. You won’t meet your healthy eating goals if you don’t make healthier choices when you eat out. Some great options for healthy food are Freshii, Kahuna Poke and juice bar, and Salud Juicery. These places serve healthy food bowls that are satisfying and beneficial to our bodies.
You can stop by these places and pick up one of their healthy smoothies, smoothie bowls, or protein packed bowls. It won’t add any extra meal prep time to your day since you can simply pick up your food and go. The options you’ll find at these places are also incredibly delicious. Eating healthy is a lot easier when you can enjoy what you’re eating with minimal effort.
New Year’s resolutions are often hard to keep, and that is often because people usually aim to go headfirst into strenuous routines that they can’t keep up for long. If you want to actually hold on to your resolutions for more than a month, you need to start small with changes that you enjoy making.
