It’s always a struggle to make a New Years’ resolution and stick to it through the following months. Continuing the resolutions makes them habits and thus a part of your regular life. But how exactly do you go about doing that? I know I struggle with it, but here’s just how I try to maintain my goals for 2020.
Make a Plan
Something to prioritize is organization and planning for your weeks ahead. I feel like the hardest part about staying healthy, working out and eating right for me is that being unhealthy is the quicker or easier option. Going through the drive-through or sitting on your phone is far simpler to do than buy ingredients, prepare a healthy and take yourself to the gym.
When you plan out your week, you can spot the ranges when you have the most time and pre-plan some workout time as well as meal prep time. I try to keep realistic goals with both of these things. I try to work out or do something active every other day or at least 2 times a week when I’m busy. Even the tightest schedules have 2 two-hour blocks to make some active time.
For meals, I choose a time once a week or once every two weeks where I take myself to the grocery store and buy set ingredients for set meals I can make in bulk and use throughout the week. In addition to that, I only let myself go out for things like coffee or a snack a few times a week in total. This helps you break the habit and get used to eating from home.
Avoid Burnout
After you do all this planning and prep for your weeks, it’s important to give yourself small rewards for doing well and appreciate your good work. If you don’t take small breaks from eating perfectly or working out all the time, it’s easy to burn out. You get tired of this rigorous brand new routine and eventually give in to leaving it behind altogether.
Each time you actually follow through on meal prep and set workout times, let Sunday be a small cheat day. Get something not super healthy that you love to eat or do something just for fun that makes you happy. By being kind to yourself and taking your resolutions one step at a time, it’ll make it easier to stick to them. Realistic routines are the ones that stay with you.
Good luck with your resolutions, and I hope my little tips helped!