Try a NEW Approach to RESOLUTIONS

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As we launch into 2020, many of us are resolving to make some major changes in our lives such as starting an exercise program, eating healthier, losing weight, quitting smoking, or cutting down on alcohol. If we consider that 20/20 is perfect vision and hindsight is always 20/20, perhaps we can learn from our past mistakes or prior New Year’s Resolutions gone bad. Since 80% of people set the same goals every January and within a few months, most have thrown in the towel on their original ambitions, perhaps it’s time to approach the new year in a way that assures our initiatives stick!

Create More Highlights

Ask yourself what the highlights of 2019 were and then set the intention to do more of those things. If you list travel as the best aspect of last year, then establish a plan for your 2020 adventures. If you notice that certain people were consistently part of your highlight reel, then set a plan for spending more time with them in 2020. Be very clear with your goals or intentions for all aspects of your life…physically, professionally, mentally, socially, travel, relationships…Write it down because the brain processes things differently when it’s written down and when you read it, it becomes more realistic. Paint a very vivid 20/20 picture of what the very best 2020 would look like.

Force Accountability

If you’ve struggled with commitment in the past, be sure to add some accountability to your goals. That may include hiring a trainer to assure you stick to your workouts or scheduling training sessions with friends. It may involve consulting with a nutritionist, joining Weight Watchers or signing up with a Meal-Prep company to help you stick with your nutrition goals. It may involve making a public statement on social media announcing your intentions so your friends and family can support you through the process.

Sign Up For a Race or Challenging Physical Trip

If you’ve set a goal to exercise more in the past and struggled to maintain your commitment, try registering and paying for a race such as your first 5K, 10K, Half Marathon or Triathlon or a physical adventure such as hiking the Grand Canyon or cycling through Napa Valley. Signing up will solidify your commitment to your workouts to assure you are ready for the challenge. There’s nothing like registering and paying to add purpose to your workouts.

Find a Mentor or Tribe

There are others who have already achieved the goals you have set for yourself. Surround yourself with these types of people who will be able to provide the wisdom and support to help get you to your goals. Their energy, discipline and motivation will rub off.

Avoid All-or-Nothing

After indulging over the holidays, it’s easy to resolve to never drink alcohol again, never eat junk again or committing to going to the gym every day. But how long do you think that’s going to last? Listen, 97% of personal trainers indulge in treats so how do you expect to forever forbid them from your diet. Instead of focusing on all the foods you can’t eat, instead set goals every day for the foods you need to consume to promote health such as, “Today, I have to eat 8 different vegetables or fruits” or “Today, I’ll drink a full glass of water before each meal”.  If you’d like to cut down on your alcohol consumption, decide you’ll only drink a glass of wine on Fridays or Saturdays. If you’d like to commit to healthy nutrition, decide you’ll eat clean 5-6 days per week and allow yourself 1-2 free days each week to enjoy some of your favorite foods. If you haven’t been working out at all, commit to going to the gym 3x/week and then just moving your body more on the other days. Three days in the gym for most people is more realistic than trying to get there every day. Set yourself up for success!

Avoid Setting Weight Loss As The Goal

Instead set your goals to be the behaviors necessary to cause weight loss such as eating more vegetables, drinking 100 ounces of water per day, or getting in 10,000 steps daily. It’s a much more positive focus instead of obsessing over your weight. Action-oriented goals are the way to go. Ask yourself which actions you can take that mesh with your perfect 20/20 vision of the life you want for yourself.

Plan For Failure

You’ve got to believe that you can achieve your goals however, if you have a history of not sticking to your resolutions, whatever forced you off track last time, will most likely surface again. You need to develop a strategy for overcoming roadblocks posed by work, kids, fatigue or lack of time. For example, if previously you found work or family responsibilities got in the way of you achieving your goals, your strategy may be to book your workout appointments into your schedule like you would any other appointment or to ask a friend to join you in a commitment to walk every day at lunch.

The key to success is learning from your experiences and 2020 should be all about perfect vision for your dream life!

Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan

Note: As an avid Columbian reader, you can redeem a 2 week pass at her world-class training studio to help get you started. Contact 360.574.7292 for more details.

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Join us for the Couve Clover Run (3, 7 & 10 Miles) March 22nd, 2020!

RUN, GIVE BACK & PARTY AT MAIN EVENT AND OTHER DOWNTOWN PUBS!
Join us for the 6th Annual Couve Clover Run and celebrate in your festive green while running or walking 3, 7 or 10 miles along an extremely fast and scenic course to support local charities! We will make you earn your post-event party but it will be off the charts hosted by Main Event and other downtown Vancouver Pubs & Breweries.