It’s the New Year, and you know what that means.. the time of year everyone sets out to improve themselves in gigantic ways, with no plan, all while still doing the same exact thing they were doing in 2018. You know.. the “I’m going to lose 20lbs, but I just don’t have time for the gym and there’s no way I’m going to give up any of my favorite foods” types of things.

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Before you roll your eyes or laugh because this was you last year or the year before.. lets talk a bit about resolutions.

I mean really, who ever thought we needed a new year to decide to improve ourselves. Who decided that once a year everyone should set some huge goal only to impress others or report to whomever asks?

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Did you know that 80% of resolutions fail by February and only 8% actually ever happen?

You’re probably wondering, why right? Why would that high of percentage fail, surely someone can stick to something they set their minds too right?

Wrong. Most resolutions don’t come to fruition for a couple of reasons. Keep reading.. you’re going to want to hear why.

Why Most Resolutions Fail

1. Failure to plan.

We’ve all been guilty of this. We set our minds to something that sounds great at the time but before we know it, it’s January 15th and we haven’t even started yet, let along come up with a plan on how we are going to execute it. Failure to plan is a plan to fail.. that simply can’t be denied.

Broad resolutions often don’t have an easy way to monitor progress or even know if you’re having any sort of success. “Be Healthier” in 2019 isn’t a good resolution. What does that even mean? How are you going to achieve that? What steps are you going to take? Resolutions like this are what tend to result in zero action. And we know without action, nothing gets done.

2. Setting huge goals that can’t be reached quickly.

Have in your mind that you’re going to drop 30lbs in January? Sure, you might be able to do that, but the real question is, after January is over, then what? Can you sustain that lifestyle for a significant amount of time? If not, your goal is probably too broad, or a bit too unrealistic.

We get it, it’s human nature to want a quick, easy solution to all of our issues. We all would love if it were simple to lose 20lbs, restore our gut health overnight or reduce inflammation with a 3 day detox, but the truth of it is that real results don’t come overnight or even in a couple days.

Real results come with consistent action over an extended period of time. Period. While that might not be the popular solution, it’s the ONLY solution that will produce results that are sustainable over weeks, months and years.

Results that will last a lifetime and develop into a lifestyle. A healthy and productive lifestyle. A lifestyle that will not only help you meet your resolution, but will produce a change that is easy to sustain.

So lets talk about some ways to set realistic, attainable goals to turn 2019 into your best year yet!

How to Set GOALS not Resolutions!

1. Keep it simple!

Don’t Overwhelm yourself with a bucket list of goals for the new year. Instead, create a list of small attainable goals that you can cross off throughout the New Year. Imagine how good it will feel when you cross off a small goal as completed and can march on to work toward the next! Create some momentum in your life and start making small progress now!

2. Set tangible and measurable goals.

Forget the “lose 30 lbs” type of mindset and instead, switch to the type of thinking that is descriptive and measurable. “Eat a vegetable at every meal” or “Exercise 3 times a week”. When we do this, we can easily cross days off of our list as we work towards our goal, and see measurable progress on a chart or map!

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If you’re a visual person, make a goal poster. Put it in giant letters on a poster board. Spell out what steps you’re going to take, how you’re going to take them and what resources and tools you need to make it happen. When we do this, we tell ourselves I’m prepared, I know what I need to make it happen and we are less likely to make excuses as to why it can’t happen!

3. Accountaibility

We know first hand how hard it is to embark on a new journey of health, weight loss, self improvement, whatever it may be alone. Let’s be honest, it’s a bit miserable and often doomed to failure. Unless you’re super human and don’t need anyone to encourage or support you, you’re left all alone trying to figure it out and cheer yourself on. That’s not much fun!

Take the step to find a local or online accountability group in an area you love. Are you mainly focusing on fitness this year? Find a fitness accountability group that will help you get those workouts in.

Are you focusing on bettering your nutrition? Join the Plate Changers and have not only group nutrition coaching but accountability from people all over the globe looking to do the exact same thing. We believe accountability and support are the key piece in making goals happen. We hope you’ll join us over HERE.

Thats it.. a few little steps to get you moving in the right direction. Stay tuned as we talk more about specific nutrition tips to turn your frumpy old diet into a REFRESHED and REJUVENATED plate!