9 Ways to Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions

By Gabby Arias

1. Set small goals. If one of your resolutions is to run a marathon by the end of the year but you are not in the shape for that, start small. Try to work up to running at least two miles a month. Give your body time to adjust to the changes you’re making. By starting small, you’re giving yourself a chance to see change and keep yourself motivated.

2. Stay determined. Take your resolutions day by day. Rome was not built in a day and you’re not going to have the stamina to run a full marathon overnight. It can be hard to keep going if you feel you’re not seeing any progress. Keep in mind, you’re better than you were yesterday, and tomorrow you’ll be better than today.

3. Find inspiration.  Find somewhere to get inspired. Think about why you started with these resolutions and use it to inspire yourself. Whether it’s by scrolling through various social media platforms, finding that inspiration will help you remember why you started. A personal favorite of mine is Pinterest. It’s a digital scrapbook and dream board. Whether you’re planning your future home, looking for fashion inspiration, or looking for a recipe, Pinterest has it all.

4. #TreatYoSelf. Rewarding yourself is the best way to stay motivated. If you’ve been eating healthy for the past six days and you want a cookie, eat a cookie. If you’ve been trying to save money, don’t feel guilty by splurging on something nice for yourself. It only becomes a problem when you start being excessive. Or, you’re like me and have been in a constant state of treat yourself since having a bad day last April. Yeah, it’s fun now, but it won’t be when you have no money. Treat yourself moderately and do not make any unnecessary purchases. Learn from my mistakes!

5. It is okay to make mistakes. If your resolution was to eat healthy every single day, don’t be hard on yourself if you choose to indulge. Everyone is bound to slip-up, what really matters is how you recover from it. Maybe eating super clean and healthy every day is not what your body needs. Use eating clean six days a week as motivation to really indulge on the seventh day. It’s okay, everything will be fine, it does not matter how many times you fall, what matters is how many times you get back up.

6. Use a planner! I have struggled with this forever. I’ll splurge in a very nice planner from Target, Amazon, etc., I will use it for a week then completely forget about it. However, this year I took that indulgence to a new level and invested in a personalized planner. I say invested because for the price it feels like an investment. I tell myself if I don’t use the planner then I am wasting money. Luckily, January is almost up and I use my planner every day. Let’s see how long I can keep it up.

7. Find ways to have fun. So your goal is to work out more but you hate going to the gym. You never know what to do and you feel like you may as well have “newbie” tattooed on your forehead. Find a way to make working out fun, and give yourself some structure. Maybe you don’t know what to do, so try taking a workout class. A favorite of mine is cycling classes. It’s cardio, weight training, and toning all in one and it helps build stamina. Also, music choice is so important. Having a good playlist is the difference between a great workout and a mediocre workout.

8. Ask for support. Do not feel so prideful that you can’t ask for help. If you’re in a slump or going through a rough patch, ask for help. Your friends and family will be happy to help you. They’ll think you’re taking these resolutions seriously, and you’re determined to change your life.  

9. Be realistic. Tying back into the previous tips, be realistic. Don’t set a goal you know you won’t complete by the end of the year. If you want to lose a certain amount of weight by the end of the year, don’t set an unrealistic target. It will only make you feel worse when the end of the year comes and you did not achieve it. Instead, make a goal to live a healthier lifestyle, losing weight isn’t about your actual weight, it is about changing your lifestyle. By changing your lifestyle you’ll become healthier both mentally and physically.