Hey Friends! How’s it goin?
I know I’m a day late but Happy New Year! I haven’t done much of anything to prepare for the year ahead yet. Apart from deciding on my One Word for 2015, I haven’t set any other goals or resolutions. It’s a well known fact that most people hardly ever accomplish all of their New Year’s resolutions and I’m no different. So, in an attempt to get ahead of the game, I decided to go over some of the resolutions I’ve made in previous years to see if there were some that I hadn’t accomplished and could recycle.
Then I got to thinking about all the common health related resolutions people make over and over again and never keep and why they can’t keep them. Research has shown that the best goals are SMART- Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. But, as humans we can sometimes be a little delusional and a lot of us fall into the trap of setting seriously not SMART goals. So today I wanted to share some of the resolutions you shouldn’t be making this year and why, as well as some alternatives.
5 Healthy Living Goals you shouldn’t to set in 2015
1. Lose Weight
Losing weight is probably one of the things that most people think about in the New Year. After overindulging in over the holidays and maybe gaining a little, it makes sense to want to lose some weight. My issue with this goal isn’t that you want to lose weight, but rather how not specific that is. It’s very possible to lose a pound or two over the next 365 days, but it that what you’re going for? How much weight do you want to lose? How are you going to track it? What are you going to do to make it happen?
Alternative goal: I wan’t to lose an average of x pound a week in 2015, by eating more whole foods and working out 3 times a week, until I reach my goal of y pounds. Then I will reevaluate.
2. Exercise
I’ve been guilty of this for so many years, especially recently. Every year, I want to exercise more, so I jot it down with the rest of my New Year’s Resolutions. But what does that even mean? Do I want to work out today? Tomorrow? Everyday for a month? What type of exercise do I want to do? How often? These are some of the questions we should ask ourselves before setting this goal. Because simply writing the word ‘exercise’ on a piece of paper, is kinda useless.
Alternative goal: I want to work out 4 mornings a week – 2 days of lifting, 1 day of running, 1 day of yoga – every week in 2015
Resource: How much Exercise do we need?
3. Eat Healthier
Another one I’m guilty of. First of all, what is healthy eating? I’m been making this same goal for the last 10 years of my life, but for most of that I had no idea what it mean to eat healthy. So right off the bat, I was a hot mess with this one. Then, like with the other two goals, this one isn’t exactly SMART. What foods do I want to eat more of? Which foods do I want to eat less of or cut out completely? How am I going to keep track of whether or not I ‘eat healthy’ on a given day?
Alternative goal: In 2015, I will stop drinking sodas and buying fast food by February. I will try one new vegetable dish a month and will prep whole foods for the week every Sunday.
Resources:
- Healthy Eating 101: Eating the Rainbow
- Understanding Nutrition Labels
- Understanding the Ingredient List
4. Reduce Stress
I swear every year I say I’m going to reduce my stress and every year attempting to do that causes me the most stress. I’m never quite sure how I’m going to go about reducing stress so I end up reading tons and tons of stuff about stress reduction and getting nothing but a headache and wasted time that could have been spent on something else. This year I’m taking it back to basics with this one. Reduce stress by separating work from down time. I’ll let you know how it goes
Alternative goal: In 2015 I will spend a maximum of x hours a day on work and y hours relaxing.
Resources:
5. Get Organized
Ahh, organization. The bane of my existence. If I had already written down my New Year’s resolutions and had this one on the list, I’d have failed hard on just the 2nd day of 2015 since this post is like 3 hours late going up. Deciding to ‘get organized’ is such a vague goal and although I know that, it doesn’t stop me from attempting to do it every year. I haven’t decided how I’m going to tackle this one yet this year but I do know that finding a system will be key. Still working on it though.
Alternative goal: In 2015, I will assign myself daily to-do’s and keep track of my progress in a day planner.
Resource: 9 Steps to the most Productive Morning Ever
More Healthy Eating Things:
Follow GiselleR @ Diary of an ExSloth’s board :: Nutrition Tips :: on Pinterest.
More Healthy Living Tips:
What about you?
How did you celebrate NYE? Have you set any goals yet? Which of these are on your list?
Share in the comments below!
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There is so much truth in this, Giselle! Making specific goals are always more attainable and put us in the right direction. I’m still working on my health goals for this year. Thank you for the help!
Gina recently posted…Dreamy January Mood Board
Such great advice!! Goals (and resolutions) need to have more focus to them, otherwise you totally set yourself up for failure.
Alysia @ Slim Sanity recently posted…Seeing Progress Isn’t Always Easy
Vague goal setters kill me! I just laugh now, haha! I think people set certain stereotypical goals like that because they think they SHOULD be setting them, but their own heart is not in it. You need to look within yourself to find what you truly want and can achieve!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted…Friday Finisher 1/2/15
I could not agree more! You can’t just set any old goal…you have to be very specific about it if you actually want it to happen.
Erin @ The Almond Eater recently posted…Life Lately
Love it, girl! I’ve been guilty of vague goal setting more times than I care to admit, and yeah — those are the goals that I always end up failing at. I’m someone who works well with a really structured plan in place, so all the alternatives you offered are right up my alley.
Happy New Year!
Amanda @ .running with spoons.com recently posted…. currently – january 2015 .
Great tips!! Your examples are MUCH more attainable than the more general resolutions that very few people actually end up keeping!
Hannah @CleanEatingVeggieGirl recently posted…My 2015 Bucket List
Great take on resolutions! I feel the same way…better to set some goals for a lifestyle change…I try to keep them realistic too!
Jamie recently posted…10 Great Movies for a Snow Day
Great advice, Giselle! Concrete and specific goals are so much more worthwhile than “general” goals like “lose weight”.
Nicole @ Squash on Squash recently posted…Hello, 2015 + {Friday Favourites}
Hi Giselle! You hit the nail on the head with these. Specific, attainable and measurable is the way to go with goal setting. Here’s to a great 2015!
Ashley @ A Lady Goes West recently posted…Friday Favorites: Beauty, bling + entertainment
Great approach to these resolutions! I always make the “reduce stress” one – I will think about a more concrete goal like you have.
Coco (@Got2Run4Me) recently posted…Five New Year Resolutions For Bloggers
Smart post! (See what I did there?) Haha. You hit all five points perfectly. An unmeasurable goal or resolution really is hard to complete successfully.
Chris recently posted…Survey Results And Resolutions
Fully agreed on all of these points. Unless I set myself small attainable and specific goals I’ll postpone them until … never. I still haven’t jotted down my intentions for this year for the very reason that I’m unsure how to break some of them down. But as you listed some of mine here (hello, organization) I might just steal those ideas. Thank you and happy New Year!
Miss Polkadot recently posted…Embrace the Discomfort
Great tips! So many people make too big of goals and thrn givr up bc the are so unattainable. I like how your break it down to specific ones.
Lacey@fairytalesandfitness recently posted…Get a Running Journal
So so true! I can definitely get on bored with making no resolutions! I started the Day Zero Project this year and have 101 goals to achieve in 1001 Days instead. Happy New Year!
Vicky recently posted…The End of Goodreads Reading Challenge 2014
Isn’t it amazing how of a difference the wording can make. Excellent tips!
jill conyers recently posted…Running in 2015!
So true and I am guilty for making all of those before. Now I realize setting clear specific goals are more doable than just saying I want to lose weight.
Maureen recently posted…2015 Blogging Schedule
Yep I know if I made some of these I am just setting myself up for a fail!! Thanks for linking up!
Mandy, Barbie Bieber and Beyond recently posted…Testing The Boundaries-Raising Teenagers
this is right on – those goals have to be specific!!
Courtney @ Eat Pray Run DC recently posted…Friday Five: 2015 Goals
Ummmm I LOVE THIS POST! I actually wrote down “goal” for my year… which I’m posting about tomorrow… and I am so happy you put the alternative goals because that’s how I organically wrote mine (well, that’s what I wrote instead of “lose weight”). Makes me feel totally validated!
Cassie recently posted…Most Popular Posts of 2014
These are great ideas! Being specific instead of vague really helps. I’m guilty of the “get organized” one. I am just not a neat person and while i’ve gotten better at some things setting a vague goal of “getting organized” is not going to help me!
andrea @ pencils and pancakes recently posted…Getting Started with Real Food
Great list! I love that you highlight how important it is to have specific goals and all of the alternatives that you have listed. I have a few of these on my list too, but like you said I have a specific plan of how to achive a specific goal. Great post,cheers to 2015!
Amber recently posted…Time To Pick Your Race: 6 Things To Consider When Signing Up For Your First Triathlon
I love this!!! Very true, making your goals more specific will make them easier to achieve. When you make such a general goal, it’s really so broad, that its easy to not achieve it!!
-Brittany @NFSIsters #Dishthefit
Great examples of how to SMARTen up our goals. And I needed to hear that ‘get organized’ one. I say that to myself, and then I get overwhelmed. But making a little daily to-do list is perfect. Thanks so much! #dishthefit #fitfamlove
Jessica Joy @The Fit Switch recently posted…What Would Your Trainer Say To Motivate You? The Fit Dish 16.
I would also add that we can make resolutions all year round! We don’t have to wait for the new year!
Emilie recently posted…5 Tips To Stop Waisting Food