Archive for the tag - new year’s resolution

Stop Making Decisions of Someone Who Deserves Less.

January 1, 2013 By

It’s a new year - and a new opportunity to create a different path forward.

Instead of recycling the same mindset and mentality of years gone by, let’s try something new. Rather than making decisions from a place of deprivation or denial, let’s shift the focus. Let’s come from a place of self-love.

It’s not about skipping the extra slice of cheesecake because you’re not supposed to eat it. It’s about selecting a smarter dessert choice because you want to nourish your body with the nutrients it craves and needs.

It’s not about going to the gym because you hate your body and desperately want to look different. It’s about exercising because you love your body - and you want to honor it with movement and sweat. After all, without your body, you can’t experience the joys of life, like wrapping your arms around someone you love, watching a sunset or swimming in the ocean.

In 2013, let’s shift our focus to a place of self-love. And as you do, it becomes infinitely easier and a million times more effortless to make decisions that promote better health.

You deserve good health - so stop making decisions of someone who deserves less. This is YOUR year.

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tips: New Year’s Resolution Success!

December 31, 2012 By

A recent study found that 73% of Americans give up on their fitness-related New Year’s resolutions. In all actuality, the news comes as no surprise. But instead of focusing on the negative, let’s look at the positive: More than a quarter of Americans stuck with their fitness-related resolutions!

So what can we learn from them?

When people gave up, it was for the following reasons:

  • 42 percent said it’s too difficult to follow a diet or workout regimen
  • 38 percent said it’s too hard to get back on track once they fall off
  • 36 percent said it’s hard to find time

Let’s take a closer look at each of these stumbling blocks.

Too Difficult to Follow Diet/Workout

When you’re trying something different, it’s a good idea to ‘lean’ into the change - rather than jump right in with both feet. As humans, we’re creatures of habit; we’re not good at dealing with change. Instead of going from 0 days per week at the gym to 6 days per week, it’s much more sustainable to start small. Go two days a week, and then build up from there. This will prevent burnout.

The same philosophy applies to diet. Instead of trying an extreme and unsustainable diet - like giving up carbs altogether - do something that’s less dramatic. Strive to make one meal a day healthier - or aim to include steamed veggies with most of your dinners. Start small and remember that even small changes add up to big results over time.

Too Hard to Get Back on Track

Everyone falls down. There’s a great proverb that says failure isn’t falling down, but refusing to get back up. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or build muscle or anything in between, your journey will almost certainly be paved with obstacles.

I tell my clients to define their obstacles. For example, eating out at restaurants can be a huge challenge for someone looking to lose weight. But once you’ve defined the potential problem, you can create a game plan for dealing with it. You can have the waiter box up half your meal before it arrives at the table. Or you can research restaurants in advance for healthy options.

Know your challenges and create a game plan for dealing with them.

It’s Hard to Find Time

The 27% of people who succeed at their resolution know something very important: No one finds time. You create time.

Our schedules are all very busy and hours aren’t like pennies that you might find on the sidewalk. I’ve never met anyone that said, “Oh, I just found an hour! Let me go work out!” Instead, we need to look at our schedules and prioritize our health over other less-important commitments (like watching TV).

Moreover, keep in mind that regular exercise extends your life - and makes you healthier. In other words, it’s more accurate to say that no one has time NOT to workout.

The bottom line: This year, apply the wisdom of the 27% and stick with your resolution. You deserve it! This is your year!

Filed Under: Research Tagged With: , ,

When and How to Get Started?

January 3, 2012 By

Start here, and start now. 6 months from now, you'll be very glad you did.

It’s the new year and you’ve made a resolution to live healthier. Great! But when and how do you start?

The when is easy. The answer is, of course, now. The present moment is the only moment in which you’ll ever live - try as we might to live in the past or future. All decisions are made in the present moment and all actions are taken in the present moment.

And if you do act right now, in six or twelve months, you’ll be very glad that you did. Just think if you made (and stuck to) this resolution a year ago; you’d already be enjoying a transformed life. But instead of looking back, let’s stick to this present moment and know that the time for change is now.

The how can seem trickier. And indeed, the how will be different from person to person, and it really depends on your goals. As I’ve mentioned a million times, I advise my clients to commit their goals to writing (it makes it official!) and abide by the S.M.A.R.T. philosophy of specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely goals.

But while the details of what you need to do to make your S.M.A.R.T. goal a reality can seem overwhelming, remind yourself that all you need to do is take the first step. The realization of a goal is really the sum total of many small steps - and you just need to take the first one. It doesn’t seem so daunting, does it?

So the bottom line is this: Right now, take the first step. Just one step - whatever it might be for you. It might be the hardest step to take, but it’s also the most important.

P.S. There are only 48 hours left to use discount code “youtube” and save 25% off The Davey Wavey Weight Loss Program. It’s been my most successful product launch ever – and I’ve been getting tons of great feedback. Snag your copy today before the discount ends!

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

New Year’s Resolution Pep Talk!

January 10, 2011 By

A recent survey revealed that just under half of Americans made a New Year’s resolution for 2011. That’s 150 million people - and resolutions - in the United States alone. And according to the data, most of the resolutions involve exercise and/or losing weight.

We’re now a week and a half into January, and the initial New Year’s Eve-induced enthusiasm is running a little low. It’s time for a pep talk. Click below to watch the video:

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: , , ,

9 Tips: Plan for Your New Year’s Resolution TODAY!

December 23, 2010 By

With Dec. 31 just around the corner, it’s certainly not too early to start thinking about your New Year’s resolution. In fact, planning ahead is one of the best ways to ensure that you keep your resolution.

Here are a few tips for doing just that:

  1. Decide on your resolution. There are probably a number of things that you’d like to change in the New Year. Maybe you’d like to lose some weight, build muscle mass or run a marathon. Start by writing out or thinking up a list of resolution contenders - and then narrow things down to just one resolution; don’t overload yourself - achieving just one resolution is challenging enough!
  2. Ensure that your resolution is SMART. Smart stands for specific, measurable, attainable (but not too attainable!), relevant and timely. Instead of saying that you’d like to lose weight, a SMART resolution is that you want to lose 15 lbs by April 1.
  3. Write your resolution down. Put it to paper. Write it in the comments to this post. Jot it on a post-it note. Writing your resolution makes it real.
  4. Visualize yourself achieving your resolution. Close your eyes and see yourself accomplishing your resolution. Feel it with every cell of your body.
  5. Articulate why your resolution is so important. Why do you want this? How will it change or improve the quality of your life? All of these things can fuel your motivation.
  6. Take the first steps TODAY. January 1 is right around the corner - what steps can you take today to pave the road for the new year? If your goal requires joining a gym, then get the membership today. If you want to lose weight, educate yourself about the best ways and healthiest ways to do that. Set yourself up for success by doing the groundwork now.
  7. Focus on the change. a New Year’s resolution is about the result - but it makes a lot more sense to focus on the change. The result may be losing 15 lbs by April 1, but the change that is required is paramount. Know and anticipate which changes you’ll need to make (and how you’ll introduce them) to get the results you want.
  8. Build a network of support. You can do it alone - or you can lean on a network of support. Enlist the help of friends, support groups or virtual communities.
  9. Plan for the hiccups. If your New Year’s resolution necessitates you exercising regularly, anticipate your backup plan for if and when you fall off the horse. Maybe you catch the flu and miss a week of exercise, or go off on a long business trip. These obstacles can be resolution killers - so plan for them. Know that getting back on track is always an option.

By planning ahead today, you can position yourself well for January 1. And by positioning yourself well for January 1, you’re more likely to achieve your resolution.

Start today by writing your SMART resolution in the comments below.

Filed Under: Tips, Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , ,