By Contributor: Whit Sawyer
As I write this article, the leaves are changing, temperatures are rapidly dropping, and it’s getting dark at 5 p.m. It’s painfully obvious that we’re currently careening head first into the misery and despair of the cold winter months. Between being forced to spend more time indoors and the never-ending supply of food and alcohol at holiday parties, it’s no wonder so many people struggle with their health and fitness during this time.
Estimates vary, but reports show that the average American will gain between one and five pounds between Halloween and the end of December. This statistic is especially staggering when you understand that most people don’t lose those extra pounds at the end of the holiday season. Two pounds a year over the next ten years, well, you see where this is headed.
So, what do most people do at the end of this long three-month stretch between Halloween and New Year’s?? They make New Year’s resolutions. These resolutions sound great in theory but they rarely work. In fact, a 2016 study showed that roughly 9% of people who make resolutions actually keep them.
This happens for many different reasons: their goals could have been more realistic, they didn’t keep track of their progress, or they just went about it in a way that wasn’t sustainable. While admirable, setting lofty goals with no road map on how to get there is a surefire recipe for disaster.
So why do so many people not follow through with their resolutions? In my experience in the fitness industry, there’s one trend I tend to see more than others. People come out way too hot and way too fast. I call it going from zero to a hundred.
For example; going from not working out to working out five days a week, not watching your diet to starving yourself to attain what you would consider a “balanced diet”, or trying one of the newest fad workouts being peddled by your favorite social media influencers.
Most people do really, really well for two to three weeks and then the newness fades. The motivation isn’t there. Life gets in the way, and you quit. You didn’t set yourself up to be successful from the beginning. What if I told you it didn’t have to be all or nothing?
I encourage you to try a different approach. I’d like you to stop waiting on New Years and start stacking habits that will get you to where you want to be. Instead of thinking about what you’ll deprive yourself of to achieve an end goal, think about what you can add to your current routine as you continue down a journey toward better health.
Below, I’m going to add six action steps you can implement today to save yourself from the hamster wheel that is the New Year’s resolution. Pick one. Do it for two weeks. Pick another one. Add that in for two weeks. Pick another one, and so on and so forth.
Before long, you’ve built some momentum. This is no longer a diet or a training plan, it’s a lifestyle. These things are just part of who you are and what you do.
1. Lift weights 3-5x per week.
2. Drink enough water (roughly half your body weight in oz.).
3. Limit your alcohol consumption.
4. Eat whole, nutritious foods while still eating foods you enjoy. Remember, sustainability is key. The best diet in the world doesn’t mean much if you can’t stick to it!
5. Get 6-8 hours of sleep each night.
6. Get out of breath daily. Walk, run, bike, row, swim, play pickup basketball, walk the dog, etc. There’s no right or wrong way to do it as long as you enjoy it and commit to it.
Which one of these steps can you add today to get a jump on being your absolute best self in 2024?? Don’t wait until January and wish you had started sooner.
Get started today!
