Feb 11

Feb 11 How To Stick to Your Your New Years Resolutions Through February and Beyond!

Hi, I'm Liz Moser, a Mayo Clinic and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach.

Welcome to the second week of February! Do you know the significance of this week? The second week of February is the week most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions. Yes, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February.

That’s a shame because it takes on average 66 days to form a habit, so you only have about two more weeks to reach your 66-day milestone. Don’t give up yet!

Yet, if you feel shaky and are about to through in the towel, here are some tips to make sure you are in the 20% minority that sticks to their principles and achieves their new year’s resolution.

Make sure your goal is specific: For instance, recreate your ‘get into shape goal’ into ‘compete in a specific mini-marathon in 3 months.’ Then enroll in the race and ask yourself what daily actions must I do to be fit enough to run that race? Next, write out a calendar for the following three months to track your precise daily actions. For instance, commit to running, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday increasing your mileage every week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, perhaps stretch, or some other recovery action. Write all of that on your calendar and check it off each completed day. Make your goal specific!

Stay Positive: Frame your goal in the positive. Do not focus on what you aren’t doing. Focus on what you are doing? You are not giving up desert you are creating the new leaner you one healthy meal at a time. You aren’t letting go of smoking. You're increasing the balance in your checking account. What are you saying yes to? Stay positive!

Remember where you came from: Reframe your frustration over perceived slow progress by talking to the past you. You remember her, the December you. She will be thrilled with where you are at. Because no matter how slow your weight loss or muscle gain, you have made some progress in 6 weeks, and you’re better off than when you started. Remember where you came from and focus on progress, not perfection.

Start small: Make resolutions you think you can keep. If anything, scale back on your actions instead of cutting them out completely. Instead of completely overhauling your diet, perhaps add seven servings of fruit and veggies for two weeks and then, in addition, let go of snacking after dinner. Make small sustainable changes one at a time.

Why: Why do you want to achieve your new goal or create a healthier lifestyle? Then write your ‘why’ on a post-it note, and stick it on your bathroom mirror. Reread your ‘why’ every morning and evening as you brush your teeth. Rocking a favorite pair of jeans while nice might not be motivation enough, although being able to keep up with your family on your weekly hikes might be the incentive you need. Discover your deeper why!

Watch out for FOMO goals: These are the goals you think will be cool to do, usually after seeing one of your friends accomplish it or talk about it on social media. You know exactly what your priorities are, so don’t fall into the trap of picking another person’s goal. You are unique, focus on your priorities don’t fall into the Fear Of Missing Out goal trap.

Daily victories: You must, must, must find your current wins. What is incredible about losing 10lbs even though you have another 50 to go? Are your clothes looser? Maybe your face is a little thinner? It’s demoralizing to wait to be happy until the future win while ignoring your small daily victories!

Get support and accountability: Don’t do it alone! Get support find a friend who either is creating your desired change along with you or already has what you want and contact them for morale boosts. Or, hire a coach, yes, shameless plug alert: Imagine what you could achieve with individualized accountability and support. My clients are astounded by the changes they make. Whether you find a friend or hire a coach, get support and accountability! It can make all the difference!

66 Days: If you quit now, you will have to start again at some time in the future and remember your physics. A body at rest tends to stay at rest, and a body in motion tends to stay in motion. That’s the definition of inertia. It's harder to start from a standstill than to keep going. Hey, that’s just physics, not some trite motivational quote. Ha!

Don’t be a member of the 80% club who quit their New Year’s Resolutions by the second week of February. Claim your rightful spot with the winning 20%’ers by:

Making sure your goal is specific.
Staying Positive – what are you saying yes to?
Remember where you came from and remember progress, not perfection.
Make small sustainable changes one at a time.
Discover your deeper why!
Ignore FOMO Goals – stick to your priorities.
Find your daily victories!
Get support and accountability.
And remember, it takes, on average, 66 days to create a habit, so you are so very close. Don’t give up!

I’m Liz Moser, a Mayo Clinic and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and thank you for watching this video about maintaining your New Year’s resolutions through February and beyond. If you have any questions about this video, about health and wellness, or wellness coaching with me, please reach out via my website at lizmosercoaching.com