6 steps to resolution success in 2021!

Does anyone make New Year’s Resolutions these days?

For those that do, can you make it to February?

It seems that making a resolution is counterproductive. Let’s face it, who wants to start the year in defeat.

The University of Scranton had a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology finding that most of us make New Years resolutions but only 8% are likely to succeed.

Losing weight was the number one commitment reported. I’ve seen a lot of disappointment in gyms over the years. People get mislead or misinformed and even taken advantage of. They go full throttle, train hard, crazy diets but don't loose any weight. Spending time, money, energy and lots of sweat without loosing a kilo of fat will make anyone give up.

How can we succeed in 2021? Right here, right now! I’m going to give you the steps to succeed with your 2021 resolutions. Let’s use the most popular New Years Resolution of all time as an example - weight loss.

Step 1. Make it a Goal Turn your resolution into a goal. Weight loss is a general idea and to some just a dream. Let’s put it into reality and break it down. You want to Loose 10kg of body fat by 1st of October 2021. Ok. We can measure that, it’s realistic (1kg a month), it’s got a time frame and it’s very specific. Great what’s next?

Step 2. Information How do you actually burn fat off your body? Forget about trying to kill yourself with gruelling exercise, forget about all of the expensive supplements, fad diets and the money-hungry misleading online ‘fitness gurus’. It’s very simple maths: Get into a CALORIE DEFICIT. Get the correct protein intake. Get your fats and carbs to your liking with the remainder of your calories. It’s that simple! You can eat the what you need and burn more calories with activity. You can eat less and not exercise. You can eat a bit less and exercise a little more. As long as you get into a CALORIE DEFICIT! For more information on exactly how many calories YOU need please see an experienced trainer or dietician. Get educated with real science and maths. Everyone’s requirements are different.

Step 3. Environment Ensure your work, home and social environments are absent of temptations. We are only human and we all give in to temptations such as, high calorie food, alcohol or lazy behaviours. If your environment doesn’t have any junk food or excessive alcohol available you can’t be tempted let alone give in to it because it’s not there.

Step 4. Accountability You are less likely to disappoint others than yourself. Having someone to be accountable to helps you stay on track every week. Whether it be a personal trainer, gym buddy, walking friend or someone to weigh you in every month. A non-bias reliable person will be best. Be accountable to the goal you said you wanted to achieve! Step 5. Choices not 'Lifestyle' I hear the phrase, “you need a lifestyle change” or “it’s your lifestyle that’s the problem” way too often. I believe living here on the Fraser Coast is an amazing lifestyle, we don’t need to change that. It’s our choices within our lifestyle that needs to change. Simple small changes add up over a year. For example. Don’t stop drinking coffee or beer, instead drink long blacks or low calorie beer and maybe less of them. Don’t sleep in on the weekends, get up a bit earlier and go for a walk or run. These choices go a long way to achieving a CALORIE DEFICIT. Step 6. Fun, not a drag. If you dread cardio or going to the gym, don’t do it. You’ll quickly give up anyway. Find exercise or activities that you enjoy. You have a much higher chance you’ll keep doing it. If you like bush walks then get out there. lifting weights? lift weights! If you like running - "run Forest run!"