8 Tips to Smash your 2017 Health Goals

I could start this blog off by giving you the statistics of the number of resolutions that fail every year, or the amount of increased traffic in fitness clubs in January and February only to return to normal in March. I could talk about the failed diets, the feeling of defeat. Instead I'd rather share my tips for setting and smashing your 2017 goals.

Tip 1: Decide the results you want to achieve. This is where you determine how much weight you want to drop, how much money you want to save or pay off in debt. Make your results achievable. If you have been trying to drop 20 lbs. for the past 10 years you may want to choose a more modest target weight. Don't fret if you over achieve your goal! Many people are professional at this step but fail do follow the next tips.

Tip 2: Establish the plan. Most of us would like to get a little leaner in 2017 but this will not become reality without a plan. I have spent many birthday wishes for that million dollars, but without a plan for execution, that million dollars will not appear in my bank account. So, if your goal is to get leaner you should think about how many days a week you can commit to exercising, what kinds of foods and events you are willing to sacrifice and possibly a few other life factors you are willing to change to get the results you want.

Tip 3: Prepare for the suck. If you are setting out to achieve things you have never achieved, you need to be willing to do things you have never done before. You may have to make sacrifices in things that you like to do to achieve the things you want to. If you really want to be successful at your 2017 goals, you will need to rearrange your priorities that your goals take priority. If you are thinking that your 2017 goals might not be worth it, stop now and adjust your goals to align with your priorities.

Tip 4: Accept responsibility for your actions. Your husband/wife, your children, your work and your family and friends will not care as much about your goal as you do. They will tempt you and take up all your time. If you give into their temptations and allow them to take the time you set aside for the gym that is your choice. Accept it and move on.

Tip 5: Find ways to be more prepared. Meal prepping is huge! Start off planning 2 hrs. a week to preparing meals for the rest of the week. Even if you are a stay at home person this will be huge to keep you accountable and on track. In 2016 when life was getting hectic I even got to the point where I would set out and pack my gym bag the night before to save an extra 15 minutes of sleep! By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

Tip 6: Breath, relax and get back on track. There will be times in the year that you deviate from the plan you set out in the beginning of the year, just breath, relax and get back on track. Your scale might not always show the number you want. It's okay, breath, relax and get back on track. If your progress is way off track, make sure to consult your coach or a seek out a fitness professional to make some adjustments to your plan.

Tip 7: Take a before picture. This can be motivation as well as a reminder of the progress you have made. You look at yourself every day, so you may not notice the subtle changes your body has made. Taking a look at your before picture can be a powerful reminder to keep on pushing!

Tip 8: Have fun. The key to health and fitness is to find something that you enjoy doing. If you like to follow paleo rock it out, if you like a higher carb diet, carb it up. If you like crossfit or zumba or weight training or running have fun! Understand that your plan may have to include some things that you don't like such as keeping most your carbs around your workout or limiting your cardio to 30 minutes. Trust me, if you don't fall in love with the process you will sitting right back in the same spot as you look forward to 2018.

If you need help setting up your plan, please reach out for a free consultation. From there if you decide that you would like further help from a fitness professional with training, diet or coaching we will help to find the plan that is right for you. If you decide that you have confidence that these 8 tips and a sit-down consultation to establish a plan is all you need, then you have all our support! No matter what you do, go into 2017 feeling confident about your health and fitness goals and knowing that you won't be looking back in disappointment again in 2018.