Now let’s take a look at how we can keep ourselves on track as we start this journey.

Some important steps to help you to focus include:

1: Getting support

2: Reviewing our progress

3: Rewarding ourselves

Research shows that there are 3 key steps that can help you to actually put your goals into practice.

Firstly, write your goals down. Write them on sticky notes that you put all over your house. Write them down as a screensaver or background on your computer, or on your phone. Leave notes for yourself in your kitchen presses and on your fridge. Write the goals down and you are much more likely follow them!

Next, talk through your goals out loud. Tell people about your goals and plans. By doing this, you are making an even bigger commitment to actually putting the plans into practice. Tell your partner, your children, your mum, your friends. Tell anyone who wants to hear it!

However the next step will really cement the goals in place: have people reflect your goals back to you. This means you don’t just tell people about your goals, but you actually have a conversation about what brought you to this point. You should be brainstorming with someone else about where to go from here and discussing the pro’s and cons of your plan.

This is a three-way support system; writing your goals down for yourself, saying them out loud and discussing them with others. It will help you to start acting out your goals, and will help you to carry on with them for longer.

Next, I want you to set time aside to review your goals and your progress.

This could be your weekly weight check, your timing of your run every few days or continuing to fill out your food diary. Once a week, check in with yourself and see how you are doing.  Make this a quiet moment, where you can ask yourself how your progress is coming along.

Review the goals you set for yourself, and ask yourself if they are working for you. Perhaps they are proving too difficult and you may need to adjust your plan to make it more realistic. Or perhaps you are now ready to push yourself a little further and toughen up your goals. Whatever decisions you make, continue to check in with yourself at a scheduled time every week. Feel free to keep a little diary where you keep notes for yourself. Write down your running time or your weight that week!

And lastly, I want you to reward yourself!

Human motivation can be fueled by many things, but we all like the promise of a reward to keep us going. Steer clear of food based rewards however! Start thinking of some non-food rewards to help us stay on track. Be it as big as a shopping spree when you reach your target weight – to as simple as a walk on the beach. It’s time to celebrate the big and small!

Kindness to other people is trained into us through childhood, but often we find it hard to be kind to ourselves. And now is the time to be kind, to be forgiving and to treat ourselves.

This journey ahead of you is not going to be easy. Be prepared for tough times, for slip-ups. But instead of feeling guilty and giving out to yourself for failing to achieve your goal that week – I want you to see the slip-up for what it is – just a once-of. 

Review your goals, reward yourself for the small achievements and get back on track. Don’t ponder over the small mishaps. Celebrate the successes. And in no time, you will see improvements in your both your BODY and your MIND!

So to sum up our journey from resolution to solution;

Firstly, get your motivation on track. Why are you looking to make a change in your habits? Do you feel this is worth the effort it will take? If you think it is, you are one step closer to achieving your goals.

Next, set yourself SMART goals that will help you to measure your progress and set you up for success. Steer clear of the fad diets. Instead focus on little changes that you know you can sustain long-term!

And now that you have your action plan in place, get your support systems ready by writing your goals down and chatting to your loved ones about them.

Review your goals and your progress regularly and pay special attention to rewarding yourself for both the large and small wins!

We have handed you the tools to get started on a healthy lifestyle resolution with a true impact.

Now it’s time for you to get planning, acting and celebrating.