The calendar has flipped to January and naturally it is time for the New Year’s fitness resolutions.
Many of you have decided to turn over a new leaf with regard the way you eat, how much you eat, to be more consistent with workouts, pack on some lean muscle or to shed some weight.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but unfortunately, many of you will fail because you suffer from the ‘I want fast results but have no patience or discipline’ attitude.
The physique you want will not simply appear with the click of a finger.
But you know what? The human body works the same way it has worked this past century. People are just lazier now and gladly spend their money on useless supplements, detoxes and weight loss challenges to look like the distorted body images we see on social media.
What works you ask? A positive mindset, a caloric deficit, realistic goals, patience, self-discipline and commitment, exercise, lifting weights, moving around more, eating whole foods and adhering to a healthy and sustainable plan. That’s your magic supplement right there, real results every single time, guaranteed.
Self-discipline and commitment
You can read all the self-help articles, enlist as many people as you like to help, but ultimately, if you have no desire deep down to want to change, it isn’t likely to happen. And certainly not easily…The choice is yours.
If you are committed to change, it is necessary to put some plans in place to set yourself up for success. Initially, if possible, gain the support of your family and friends that surround you and let them know you want to make a positive change in your health. You will be much more successful if you have the support of loved ones.
Sustainable plan
It is then necessary to set some achievable goals, and research often says you are likely to be 80% more successful if you set yourself one goal at a time. Once you add in more, the success rate drops down to roughly 20%. So be committed to take the time to change and work on goals you can achieve. For example, you may want to start walking most days of the week or cut out ‘sweet drinks’ as we in Guyana say. Set a long-term goal, but then break it down into daily and weekly goals that you can achieve – think of them as small pieces in a puzzle, taking one step at a time.
Positive mindset
Mindset is a crucial part of success as well, and this can often be your undoing in changing your health when you start to doubt yourself, lose motivation or start focusing on negative thoughts. Staying positive and surrounding yourself with positive affirmations, supportive people and focusing on your goals can certainly assist with your success rate.
And lastly, don’t beat yourself up if you have a bad day, miss a workout, or overeat. That is life, no one is perfect. Refocus on your goals and continue on. Being down on yourself will only produce negativity, which is not beneficial to your overall outcome.
By utilizing some of these strategies, you can help the journey be a lot smoother and your chances of success a lot higher. That doesn’t mean it will be easy. Change isn’t always easy, but it will be worth it.
