of weeks . They don ' t see immediate results , or they go religiously to the gym with good intentions only to get ill and then the exercise and healthy eating falls by the wayside – for the rest of the year . These are common things that happen to everyone at some time or another , so don ' t consider yourself a failure if you fall off the wagon a bit ! It happens . What measures success though is your willingness to get back on track and see your resolution through , and that is likely to be a year-long ( or longer !) job . A lot of people , likewise go into January 1 st whole hog and go from one type of lifestyle to another type of lifestyle overnight , with no time to get used to things which can cause them to cave really early on and give up entirely .
So how do you make it happen ? How do you make your goals become reality ? It can sound like the same old plan , same old suggestions , but make small , measurable goals . So for example , weight loss and smoking – if you smoke a pack a day , try to cut back to a half a pack by the 1 st of February , then to only a handful by the 1 st of March , then to only 2-3 a day by 1 st of April , and so on . Same with weight loss – try to make small measurable changes such as having salads as your chosen side instead of fries more than half the time when you have lunches or dinners ( at home or out at a restaurant ), or by switching to a lower fat milk , eating desserts only on Saturdays etc . These things alone can really help you start to see some changes in your weight or the way your clothes fit without having to go all the way on January 1 st and eat quinoa and kale , or pound it at the gym seven times a week for the rest of time to see results .
So overall , take it step by step and day by day . Remember that Rome wasn ' t built overnight , and mark every little success on your calendar so you can look back and see how far you have come . Seeing the progress on the calendar can really help you see that you are progressing , even if you don ' t feel like you are . When I was going to bootcamp and eating right , it took a full six months before I saw a real marked difference in my body shape and size , but I had been measuring weekly and doing weekly weigh-ins , which showed me I was progressing , even if I couldn ' t visibly see it . Find what works for you as well – if you need accountability ( like me ) to get to the gym , join a gym group , bootcamp group or go with a friend you know will be on you to see your resolution through .
So get on it , and take it slow . As the old adage goes , “ Slow and steady wins the race .” Good luck !
Chelsea Roberts
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