Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions

So many people make New Year's resolutions, yet only a few will actually keep them.

According to research from the University of Pennsylvania, only 77 percent of those making resolutions are still on track a week into the new year, with a mere 40 percent achieving a specific goal by year's end.

Here are tips to help stay the course and meet your goals, fitness/health or otherwise, in 2016:

1. Make one change at a time
   Wanting to eat better, work out more, and lose weight are all great aspirations. But trying to accomplish everything all at once can be disastrous. Start by preparing nutritious meals, and healthy snacks for on-the-go, at home first for a week or two, then add gradually in gym classes or a workout to your schedule.
   
2. Break up your goals
   Setting smaller, more attainable goals is always wiser than making one big declaration to do something. Losing 10 pounds is a very finite goal, but challenging yourself to go to the gym at least three times a week for a whole month allows you to make a positive change, with a littler wiggle room, and will set you off in the right direction.
   
3. Lift your spirits
   If you find your willpower breaking down, take a moment to do something you enjoy until you get your resolve back. Watch a funny movie, listen to your favorite music, or hang out with friends. It's okay to take a break from your resolutions, you'll find that doing so will then get you back on track with a renewed energy and focus.
   
4. Enlist your senses to help out
   Visual stimulation, or auditory or otherwise, can be very powerful. Putting a photo in plain sight of a new outfit you want to fit into, or a beach you'd like to save up for and visit on vacation, can be a huge motivator.
   
5. Write down, then share your goals
   Finally, people who actually write down their goals on paper are significantly more likely to achieve success than those who don't. Also, sharing your journey with someone else hoping to achieve similar goals can help hold you accountable and stay driven.
   
   (Adapted from WebMD)
   
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