REASON Number 1: Wrong Motivation
Many people make New Year Resolutions with good intentions but the wrong motivation. For instance, common New Year Resolutions are: losing weight, getting fit, eating right or adopting a healthier lifestyle in some way. Very worthwhile goals. Unfortunately, this usually comes the morning after indulging in the various excesses associated with Christmas parties, New Year celebrations and family reunions – when you’re feeling bloated, hung over, and overcome with feelings of guilt. And family members who you haven’t seen for the past couple of years have told you over and over again how much weight you've put on!
What to do:
· Make sure you want to make the change because you want to make the change.
When the going gets tough (around January 23!), you’re not going to force yourself out of bed at 5:00 in the morning, in the cold, dark and the rain, to go for your 30 minute jog around the neighbourhood, just because Aunt Mable who lives 200 miles away thinks that you’ve put on a few kilos!
· Wait until the dust settles.
Trying to implement changes on 1st January is usually a recipe for failure. For a start, you’re probably still in the middle of your New Year Celebrations! Take time to think things through and make proper plans to increase your chances of success.
REASON Number 2: Trying to Change Too Much at Once
It’s easy to kick off the New Year energized and full of hope, determined that this is the year when everything changes. Then, life happens. Demands at work, expectations at home – before you know it you’re bogged down and doing anything new seems like too much of a hassle. It’s so much easier keeping things the way they’ve always been. Routine sets in. All good intentions fly out the window. Change will have to wait for another year.
What to do:
· Focus on making only one or two changes at a time.
Maybe you’ve decided that you want to: start exercising 3 times a week; eliminate all excess fat, sugar and processed food from your diet; increase fruits, vegetables and fibre; spend more time with your family; spend less time in front of the TV; learn a new hobby; make new friends; catch up with old friends; and get more rest. Don’t try to overhaul your entire lifestyle on the 1st of January!
· Take one step at a time.
For instance, you could concentrate on making regular exercise part of your everyday life. Then gradually introduce some of the other changes, like being more selective about what you eat.
REASON Number 3: Unrealistic Expectations
Human beings tend to be impatient. We want what we want and we want it now!
The bad news is – it took years and years of bad habits to get you where you are today. If you want to change, you’re going to have to replace old habits with new ones. And this takes time. The good news is – the power to change is in your hands! All you have to do is develop new habits to take you where you want to go.
What to do:
There are no short cuts.
It takes about 30 days, maybe even as long as 66 days[i], to change a habit and for the new habit to become truly ingrained as part of your every day life.
· Set realistic goals.
That excess weight came on slowly over the course of 5½ years. It’s not going to fall off in 3 months!
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