Did you know that 50% of all Americans set a new year’s
resolution(s). We honestly didn't expect it to be that high. That’s
pretty amazing! What’s not so great is that according to the researcher Richard
Wiseman 88% of all those set resolutions (from half of America) fail.
That’s 156 million failed resolutions each
and every year.
Don't get us wrong, we love goal
setting and helping people change their lives. But, New Year's
resolutions are kind of a joke. Having only a 12% success rate is just
not right. Here are 5 reasons why they fail specifically with fitness
and weight loss and I give you solutions too.
1. Lack of planning. Most people set
vague, ambiguous goals. “I want to get in shape and tone up.” “I want to
lose weight.” “I want to get stronger.” These are the most common, and
unfortunately are not very specific. There is no way to tell when such a
goal has been accomplished. On top of that, very few people take it to
the next level and actually commit their goal to paper or digitally to their
computer, let alone come up with a plan to see it through.
Solution: Visualize what it is you
want to accomplish in specific detail. “I want to lose 10 pounds of fat and do
30 push-ups by March 1st.” This is a pretty specific outcome goal with
details and even a deadline. Outcome goals are great, because they’re
definitive. You either accomplish them or your don’t. However, we
need actions to accomplish these outcomes. These are behavioral goals,
such as, ”I will eliminate sugar from my diet except for 1 cheat meal a week.”,
“I will perform 3 sets of maximum repetition push-ups 5 days a week.” We
can choose to do them or we choose not to. The responsibility rides on
our own shoulders. Focus on changing behaviors and leanness is a side
effect! The body transformation results
will more likely be sustainable if correct habits and behaviors are
changed. Also, do yourself a favor and increase your likelihood of
success by writing all your goals down. Otherwise, your “goal” is just a
wish…and wishes rarely come true.
2. Unrealistic Expectations: You most likely
didn’t get into the shape you’re in right now over night or even in 3
months. So, why would you expect the opposite to happen.
Solution: Be realistic.
Sustainable transformations takes time. You are not a “Biggest Loser”
contestant working out all day with a staff of doctors and physical therapists
on hand if you get injured. You can’t expect the same numbers as
them. You will have great weeks and you will have poor weeks. Don’t
expect every measurement to be amazing. On average for a sustainable
weight loss you should lose about 1 to 2 pounds a week…and that’s if you’re
nailing your exercise and nutrition, which requires tracking and specific
numbers. If you’re not on point then set your expectations a little
lower, and work up to being more inline with correct nutrition and exercise
habits.
3. No support or accountability. More often than
not, when we decide we’re going to diet and exercise we tell no one…we do it
alone.
Solution: Not sure of the
reason we don’t share our goals with our closest friends and family. Maybe
we’re embarrassed to admit that we aren’t happy with our current selves or that
we’re afraid that if we fail (again) it will be more embarrassing if other know
about it. Or, we’re too prideful to admit we need help. Perhaps a
combination of all three. No matter what, it gets down to allowing
ourselves to be vulnerable. Drop the charade, admit that you’re imperfect
and ask for help with a very overwhelming endeavor. Get a workout buddy
to train with and become accountable to. Hire a trainer…preferably an FT
trainer. Trainers have been down the road before. They know the
process and the tricks. They can shorten your learning curve
significantly. If you can’t go the trainer route, announce and document
your progress on Facebook or a blog. Sharing your fitness goals with
others gives you another level of accountability and it give them a chance to support
you. Ask “former accomplices” to not tempt you with going out to eat or
skipping your workout to go watch a show. If they are your real friends
they will support you, if they keep tempting you then cut them out of your life
or limit your exposure to them as much as possible.
4. Too much all at once. When we think about
our New Year’s resolution we create a list as long as our arm of all the things
we’re going to change…lose weight, spend more time with the family, reduce
debt, eat better, cut back on sugar, teach our first grader trigonometry, save
the world…etc. We get overloaded and overwhelmed. We may be able to
juggle all these worthwhile goals for a time, but pretty soon we all crash and
burn. We justify taking a week “off” which turns into multiple
months. In the end we blame ourselves for not having enough willpower and
we withdrawal into our private lives and if and when we’re ready to be
vulnerable again we start making the same resolutions for the next New
Year. It’s a vicious cycle!
Solution: We get enamored with
the idea of transformation and new lifestyle and we get fooled into thinking
our will power will pull us through. This is easy to think when you’re not in
the throes of temptation. Do not get caught in the willpower trap. It is
a limited commodity that you cannot rely on wholeheartedly and you can
only get more of it with practice. It’s a lot like our muscles and weight
training. If your goal is to become a world class athlete and you’ve been
a desk jockey for the last 10 years I wouldn’t give you 250 barbell and ask you
to rep out on squats during your first workout. Instead I would give you
a manageable weight with which you can complete the prescribed number of
reps fairly easily. You would leave the session fatigued but full of
confidence. We would continue to build on that confidence by adding more
weight each week till we work up to repping out with 250 pounds. Start
with just one manageable behavioral goal. One that is ridiculously
easy. Spend a week or two mastering it. This not only builds your
confidence but also your willpower. Next add one more manageable
habit. Spend a few weeks mastering it then add another behavioral goal to
the list and repeat. This may be a slower process, but you will be
building on success and the results are more likely to be sustainable.
5. We dig ourselves into a deep
hole during the holidays: The average American can gain between 7 and 10 pounds during
the holidays. They go into the holidays fat and come out even
fatter. If it wasn’t overwhelming before the holidays it is even more so
now. It’s like giving yourself a handicap at a game where the odds are
already against you.
Solution: I’ve never seen the
purpose of waiting till the right time of year to change something in your life
(especially if you’re not happy with it). Start your weight loss goal
before or even during the holidays. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy
your favorite treats and meals. It just means you need to practice moderation.
During the holidays I suggest following the 80/20 rule. This means you
can follow sound nutritional principles 80% of the time the other 20% you can
indulge a little. This translates into following clean nutrition
principles 4 days in a row and on the 5th day enjoy a treat. This ensures
you can live a little but avoids the guilt and despair of finding yourself in a
deep hole come January one.
Let
me know if you need any help accomplishing your New Year’s Resolution
