A New Year, A New You

So many of us have said, “Okay this is the year that I am going to make changes to my health”, and every year we start out with good intentions but regardless of how intense those intentions get, we end up getting nowhere after just a month or so. We tend to make excuses on why things didn’t work out, when we actually know, deep inside, we weren’t actually ready to do what it takes to get ourselves into better shape.

Let’s take a step back a moment and ask the question why we really want to try and get ourselves into better shape? For most of it is emotional. For others it could be a last-ditch effort before having to go on medications, then for others, it may be because we want to push ourselves to achieve goals we felt were unattainable in the past. Regardless of the reason, once we start trying to get in better shape, how can we stay “in the game”? The answer is goals. Realistic goals. Daily, weekly, monthly, and annual goals.

Once these goals are established we start by taking it one step at a time. Let someone close to you know what you are trying to accomplish and by doing that you will have made yourself accountable to one or more people, making it much harder to quit. We can also look for another person to help us help ourselves. We don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to do this or buy supplements to lose weight or increase muscle mass. We don’t have to go out and buy $10,000 of expensive equipment.

Those things, after a month or so, lose their value and end up turning into big clothes hangers, right? Go to the local gym and take out a $35 – $55 per month membership, meet new people and create a new you by being around others who are trying to achieve similar goals. Keep in mind, memberships can be canceled, we’ll be out a few hundred bucks whereas, by buying expensive equipment, we can be out thousands of dollars with no or very little return on investment.

This new year, plan your goals, tell someone what those goals are, find a gym, make new friends and get out there and create a new healthier you!