The new year has come along and everyone is buzzing about  new year’s resolutions. People usually make resolutions about getting fit, eating healthier, and being happier. When people make  resolutions about working out more and eating healthier, often there are set objectives in mind like being skinnier or being at a perfect weight. Those type of strict outlooks create a negative downfall and  we are unable to meet our demanding goals. Instead of making “rules”  it would be more positive and productive to say something like “I want to gain muscle” or “I want to define my abs by fully eating clean.” These outlooks create more room for success…and that is what we ultimately want with our resolutions, success.

When I make resolutions I like to look at three main categories: lifestyle, social, and personal. This format helps shape what I want to accomplish and gets me away from setting strict goals on January 1st. It is helpful to make things achievable and to realize that things will change as the year progresses. You might want to try it too. Do not make things too far fetched where you are unable to meet your goals, fail, and than feel sorry for yourself. It is totally OK to start small and than throughout the year add on to your resolutions. Like you have always heard, take baby steps! Here is an example of achievable goals that provide direction and will make a huge difference: eight hours each day of sleep, eight cups each day of water,  exercise three days each week, eat three snacks each day, eat three meals each day.

You all know the classic story about how the gym is FLOODED with people the first few days after new years and then slows down. Do not become that person. One way to keep yourself at the gym is to have fun! Go to your gym and look at the classes they offer. Even though it may be out of your comfort zone, you won’t regret that amazing feeling after a workout! You also might make some new friends. Also, people make excuses about working out because they don’t belong to a gym or feel they have time to go to the gym.  ToneItUp and Blogilates are two fitness gurus who make workouts fun, and do not require a gym for the workouts! Go to toneitup.com and blogilates.com to see the posts. The online community is also great and is another place to make new friends.

Now, it’s time to address clean eating. Clean eating is so important.  One cannot overcome a bad diet with exercise. When it becomes the new year, people often decide to go on fad diets to dramatically lose weight. You do not need to do this. Losing 1/2 pound a day means losing 26 pounds in a year. That is awesome progress – especially if you do it balancing eating, rest, and exercise in a way that you maintain your new goal weight. That is the real goal. Also – as we all know – you are not going to get six pack abs in a day, never ever. No-one ever has – and that is okay! Creating a healthy, balanced lifestyle where you can reach and maintain your weight and still treat yourself is achieved when your diet is focused on clean eating. Blogilates has this fantastic video on clean eating and talks about what it is. Here is the URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8784JC75Zbw . The Tone It Up girls blog (Toneitup.com) provides clean recipes, workouts, a nutrition plan, and more! Both Blogilates and Tone It Up make clean eating and working out fun! Making things work for you and being True To You is so important with resolutions and will help you succeed throughout this year.

So start the year by thinking about some achievable goals for 2013. Now that you have set achievable goals, write them down and make sure they are somewhere visible so you can be reminded of your goals. On your fridge, car, mirror, anywhere! Tell your family and friends so they can  encourage you, support you, and hold you accountable. I personally find quotes  inspirational. Here here are some of my favorites:

“Do something today that your future self will thank you for”

“A year from now you make a wish you’d started today”

“It’s never a question of can you, but will you?”

“Sweat is fat crying”

“Make your life worth loving”

One thing to remember is that the difference between Monday December 31, 2012 and Tuesday January 1, 2013 is just one day. You can make changes any day, any hour, any MINUTE throughout the year. You do not just have to wait until the new year.