As the decade ends and 2020 kicks off to a start, the resolutions start pouring in. "New year, new me" can be heard from every direction. Sure, making a resolution can be motivating, but when it comes time to take initiative, judging every inch of your body isn't the best way to improve yourself. So when you're crafting the perfect resolution, here's what you need to really keep in mind.
Your resolution should be realistic, not impossible.
Changing your weight by twenty pounds in a month? Doing two hundred sit-ups every hour? You have to be realistic when it comes to the journey. Your goal is only the final part of the year-long adventure your body and mind are about to take, so your path to the finish line has to steer clear of any self-made obstacles.
You have the entire year to reach your goal, so don't rush.
This can be an easy point to forget only because a resolution seems so...final. As if not accomplishing your goal by the end of January means you've already failed! Remember: you have 365 days to make an impact on your body and in your life, so taking your time is both okay and even recommended if you want to make the most of your year of change.
Your body can respond both positively and negatively to change, so don't be discouraged.
A change in your diet does not necessarily mean you're going to see your body react in the way you want. Maybe you'll need to experiment before you find the perfect combination of exercise and dieting that results in the body you want, and from there, you can adjust both as you see fit.
Weight gain or weight loss will not always move in a straight line.
Your weight and shape are going to fluctuate at the best and worst times, and some days, you are going to feel like you've gotten nowhere. But you have! It's normal for your body to move up and down regularly, and your goal is to reach a certain weight/shape, not to track the weights and/or shapes along the way.
Taking a harmful approach to change your body will only lead to negative side effects.
Shortcuts when it comes to your body can be harmful, such as if you choose to drastically change your diet or exercise an abnormal amount. In any case, it's important that you're enjoying your fitness journey rather than making it a chore or a dangerous lifestyle that can hurt you in the end.
Your body is only as healthy as you allow it to be.
In different wording, you are responsible for your body, so take care of it. You are the combination of your thoughts and your form, so what you put in your body and what activities you do throughout the year are direct causes of the results you are responsible for. So, at the end of the year, when you reach your goal, you can safely take credit for all the work you put in.
Criticizing your body does not take away from its beauty.
You can bash yourself all you want for not looking a certain way, but a large portion of the world will see you in a different light. You really are beautiful the way you currently look, and setting a goal for yourself is a way to change how you see yourself. At the end of the day, you body is beautiful regardless of what you think.
You are always in control of yourself.
There may be the dark moments when you feel like you aren't in control of your body or your actions, but at any given moment throughout your resolution process, you are in the front seat. Anything that happens is under your control, and you are in control of every decision that goes into your body's health.
You will need to change multiple aspects of your life for "dramatic" results.
Avoiding television or video games won't provide you with the results you're looking for by the end of the year because it takes a larger commitment for more fulfilling results. To get to a goal as large as a resolution, you have to be willing to alter different parts of your lifestyle that may be outside of your comfort zone. In the end, you'll find these changes to become habits that only expand what you're comfortable doing.
It will be a challenge to reach your goal.
And when it feels like a challenge, that can only push your further to reach your goal. Just because the journey gets tough doesn't mean the reward won't be as sweet, so keep in mind that you are committing for the promising end result.
You have a support system that will be there for you when you need it.
From friends to family, you have many people who you can reach out to if you need moral support. They're there to take care of you and support you when your resolution can feel impossible to fulfill, and they will be there to remind you that you set a realistic goal with the knowledge that it is possible to get to the end.
Social media is not a fair indicator of how one achieves their resolution.
Conducting your journey based off what someone posts online is not a good way to complete your resolution. You're looking at a one-sided perspective of a 24/7 journey that isn't always pretty, no matter how many filters or inspirational captions are pinned to the posts you see. Your process isn't going to be perfect, even if social media tells you otherwise.
Everyone's resolution process will be different.
What works for one may not work for another, and you should finely tune a plan for yourself based on what you're comfortable with. Everyone's body is different, and everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. Rather than focusing on how someone else may be changing their lifestyle, it's important to find your capabilities and use them to your advantage. At the end of the year, you'll have the body you'd been working for in a comfortable, realistic manner.
