When winter digs deep and doesn’t want to relinquish its control, you need to stay focused so you can keep up with your resolutions.
Here are some tips to keep you on track.
Thinking It Takes 21 Days to Form a Habit
Great things take time so no need to worry when they do not happen immediately. You are making changes for the rest of your life, not only the next few weeks. Learn to love the process so the path to improving your life is no longer a chore but a hobby instead. Once you see results it becomes an addiction. The first few months are the absolute hardest for the simple fact that we want to see a drastic change in a short amount of time. Coming to terms with the fact that it is going to take longer than you anticipated is the hardest pill to swallow. “Forming a habit” is simple; the challenge is maintaining the habit. You have to accept that this is an all out grind, inch by inch. We drill this into our clients head constantly because it is easy to lose sight of how far you have come. We stress the long term picture and help people to understand that we take it month by month in addition to day by day.
Lacking Confidence
Confidence is key. Focus on your strengths. In the past few months, one of our clients expressed an extreme difficulty in using the stairs in her house and in train stations. Stairs were her weakness and would alter her life as she would avoid them at all costs. With perseverance and time, one step at a time soon became a whole flight and the weakness became something she enjoyed.
Not Tracking Your Progress
The simplest way to describe the success of “tracking progress” is to give you examples of my clients. The majority of people that I have had pleasure to work with to aid in weight loss are required to write down their daily food intake. Keeping a journal allows us to pick up on habits, count calories, etc. that many may think are harmless, but are in fact creating larger obstacles to their end goal. These people who journal, find themselves successful. I have found those who do not, lose accountability easier and tend to fall off. In addition, progress pictures allow to see long term changes as opposed to the glance in the mirror every morning where small changes are hardly noticeable. These techniques allow you to recognize and celebrate milestones along the way, a process that is vital to keeping you confident and motivated.
Keep checking back throughout the week for more tips to keep you on track.
