When it comes to setting health goals you want to conquer, whether it's losing weight, toning up, eating healthy, or getting more sleep, the new year always feels like the perfect opportunity to set that goal and finally make it a reality! But January 1st isn't always the fresh-start, key to success that society has built it up to be. While there are countless studies about goal-setting, none suggest that waiting until January 1st is actually beneficial. In fact, studies show that 80% of Americans fail at their New Year's resolution by February.
So, why wait? Why not start that goal RIGHT NOW?! Here are some reasons to start working towards your goals, or your New Year's resolution, today!
1. You won't make more work for yourself.
Waiting until January 1st can actually set you back, making it harder to achieve your fitness goals. Telling yourself you're going to start working on your goals in January is a "diet starts on Monday" approach, subconsciously giving you an excuse to eat more and focus less on exercise throughout the holiday season. Studies show that many people gain between 5 to 7 pounds during the holidays because of poor food choices and higher alcohol intake. It's no secret that the holidays are a challenging time when it comes to eating healthy, and waiting until the start of the new year can result in giving yourself a free pass that you just don't need.
If you start building healthy habits now, you'll have strategies in place to avoid or minimize unhealthy food choices during the holidays so, you can stop bad habits from pushing you farther away from your goals. Thus, making healthy choices will be that much easier come January!
2. You're just procrastinating.
Procrastination is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to achieving any kind of goal. Yet we all insist on waiting until January to completely reinvent ourselves. Waiting until the start of the new year to tackle a resolution is the very definition of procrastination and it puts you on a sure path to failure. By starting today, you can put an end to procrastination and the stress that comes with it.
3. Who doesn't like a head start?
In order to create new patterns of behavior, you must be mentally committed and consistent for at least 21 days. By making changes now, you will create new habits before the new year begins. So instead of struggling to reinvent your entire life-sleeping habits, diet, fitness routine, etc.-all on January 1st, pick one habit that's the most important to you and start it now. Stick with it, and by January, you'll have one habit locked in, feel more productive, and be that much more prepared to tackle the next goal or resolution you want to work on.
4. Starting now keeps it all about you.
Although accountability can be key to sticking with a goal, you're much more likely to achieve one if it reflects your personal values and interests, rather than one built around social pressures and expectations. When you set goals for the new year, are those goals in alignment with your personal values, or are you setting them because of societal expectations? Deciding to start now instead of waiting until January 1st is another way to make sure your resolution is all about you. Starting now screams "this matters to me" versus "I'm doing this right now just like everyone else in the world because that's what you're supposed to do."
Get in touch with your personal needs NOW and decide what you want to change or adapt in your life. This could be fitness-related, work, or family-related. But it's better to start thinking about these things now rather than procrastinating until New Years Day.
Looking to switch up your fitness routine? Or looking for advice on nutrition and how to reach your goal weight? Click here or head to the front desk of your local Edge to chat with one of our personal trainers. They are experts and will help you build a personalized plan that will help you crush any goal you may have!
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