Stay on track with your 2023 goal with these tips and tricks
Millions of people every year set a New Year’s resolution, but by the time February rolls around close to 40 percent of people drop it. We’ve all been there at some point, especially when it comes to things like eating better and living healthier lives.
As a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, I have some experience with helping people through their goals—I’ve also been there. It wasn’t too long ago that I set a New Year’s resolution to drop 70 pounds, which I did. As a result, I saw a marked improvement in my overall health and my hemoglobin levels.
Here are just a few of my tips and tricks
1. Set SMART Goals
One of the main reasons why people fail their New Year’s resolution, or any goal, is that they’re not SMART, or Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Based.
Specific: It’s easy to say you want to lose weight but that’s a general goal—you need to have a specific weight loss goal in mind to give you a target to reach for.
Measurable: Similarly, you need to have a way to track your progress as you work toward making your resolution a reality. When it comes to weight loss this would take the form of the number of pounds you lose during a certain time frame.
Attainable: Or, in other words, realistic. If you set a goal to lose 100 pounds in one year you’re setting yourself up for failure as that’s not an attainable goal (at least if you’re doing it in a healthy way).
Relevant: Your goal needs to be relevant to who you are and who you want to be. If you have no interest in running it wouldn’t make sense to set a New Year’s resolution to run a marathon.
Time-Based: Give yourself a timeframe in which to reach your goal. This can be six months or a whole year.
2. Don’t Be Afraid to Reset
Let’s say it’s March and you’ve had a bad month and slipped up on your weight loss goal or you had one too many side dishes during a holiday gathering. What you don’t want to do is get upset and throw your entire resolution out the window. Instead, enjoy the food you ate and come up with a plan to get back on track.
3. Ask For Help
There are so many people who want to prove that they can “do it on their own,” but if you find yourself struggling with reaching your goal there’s no shame in reaching out to a friend or expert for help. Hey, that’s why you’re here right?
4. Reward Yourself
If your goal is to drop 30 pounds and you’ve lost 10 in two months, then enjoy a small treat. Notice I said small! An ice cream sundae or nacho plate will not derail your progress so long as you stick with the plan you made for yourself after that little treat. Plus, it’ll give you something to look forward to as you work to shed the next 10 pounds.
5. Change Your Plans, If Needed
If it’s been a month or two and you’re seeing no progress, reassess your strategy and come up with a new one that can help you reach your goal.
6. Don’t Be Afraid of Pushing Back the Timeline
This might sound counterintuitive but you shouldn’t be afraid of pushing back your timeline if you don’t think you’re going to reach your goal. It’s better to accomplish something a little later than originally planned than not accomplishing it at all.
Use AnemoCheck as an Accountability Buddy
If your goal involves weight loss or bettering your health you still need to make sure you’re getting enough iron and that your hemoglobin levels remain stable. Hemoglobin is what gives us the energy to do everyday tasks and work hard toward our resolutions.
Get started by downloading the app via the iOS or Android app stores.
