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Ah!! The time has come for us to leave 2017 behind and enter 2018 with a fresh new perspective.

The New Year’s Resolutions bug has hit the masses. Every body around me, left right and center are vowing to be healthier, wealthier and wiser in the coming year. But as the tradition goes New Year’s Resolutions are meant to be broken. I fear most of these people are going to fail yet again at keeping these resolutions permanently.

I, myself, have vowed time and again to change many a things in life through the New Year Resolutions route. And many a times I have failed. However, 2017 was a major year of change for me and I learnt the secret tricks to actually make your resolutions last!!

1. The first trick is to set yourself targets that you can actually realistically achieve and measure.

Let us first take an example of an unrealistic target. Say you weigh 250 pounds and you wanna lose a 100 pounds. Realistically that should take you a year and a half to lose that weight. Maybe,even two. If you set the goal to lost 100 pounds in three months, let me tell you loud and clear – YOU WILL FAIL!!

So then what should be your goal? You can do this:

Break the larger goal, i.e., “Lose 80 pounds by December 2018” into smaller more realistic goals. Such as “Lose 5-6 pounds a month, every month for the rest of the year”. Automatically, at the end of the year all the smaller goals will add up and you will reach your bigger goal.

This is an easier and more permanent way of keeping your resolutions because all you have to do is concentrate on a smaller goal of 5-6 pounds. It can even be broken further into sub-goals for every week. This way the task of losing weight will not seem so big and insurmountable that you will give up. If you just said lose a 100 pounds, you will end up failing in a few days or months time because it will seem like you have to climb Mt. Everest without ever seeing a mountain before in your life.

2. The second trick is to try to form habits.

It takes time for a human to form a habit. There is huge debate on it. Some say it takes only 3 weeks (21 days) to form a habit while others say it takes longer around 3 months (90 days). However, long or short the time period might be the point is forming habits is better for us in the long run. Habits basically free us from thinking and making decisions. We have a finite store of willpower and we all tend to run out when it really matters. Every morning you get up and pick up the toothpaste and toothbrush and brush your teeth. Do you ever have to “decide” to brush your teeth? No. Probably never.

Habits are hard to form and even harder to get rid of. Think of it this way, once you form good and healthy habits you yourself won’t be able to get rid of them. It will be like clockwork and you will make healthier choices without even giving it a second thought.

3. The final trick is to set the optimum no. of goals.

Yes, there is a thing called too many goals. Research has proved that people who set 2-3 realistic goals are better at actually achieving them than those who set a higher no. This is because the human brain can only do so much. It is better to concentrate on a few tasks at a time and actually achieve them then set 10 goals and achieve none.

So, remember these tricks and set yourself three realistic, achievable and measurable goals this New Year, 2018!! Also, keep yourself accountable. Or find a buddy or buddies (online or offline) who will do it for you.

All that is left to say is we wish you a very HAPPY and HEALTHY NEW YEAR! 🙂

Become fitter and eat healthier with these 3 habits.