Don’t give up on your New Year’s Resolution!

Statistics show that people begin to abandon their New Year’s Resolutions from one to three months after making them. There are several things you can do to keep from giving up on the resolutions you made in January.

If you find yourself veering away from a resolution, you may need to review and readjust the goal. If you’ve set a weight loss goal, setting small milestone accomplishments can keep you motivated until you have reached your main goal.

It’s also important that your resolutions be firm commitment statements rather than vague generalities. If you made a resolution to eat healthier, write down the steps you plan to take to reach that goal. Tackle one step at a time such as reducing the sodium in your diet, eating less meat or reducing the amount of sugar you consume. Gradually, you will achieve the ultimate goal of having transitioned to a healthy diet.

If you were a little over ambitious when you made a resolution, it’s better to revise the goal than to give up on it. If your schedule doesn’t permit you to follow through with a goal such as exercising an hour a day or going to the gym several times a week, reduce the amount of time you’ll commit to the goal. That will enable you to follow through with a modified version of the goal.

Don’t hesitate to rely on your support system to spur you on to your goal. If you don’t have a support system to help you with your resolution, it’s not too late to find one. Chances are, some of your friends or family members are also struggling to keep some of their New Year’s resolutions. Supporting each other can make the journey more pleasant and successful.

Most importantly, forgive yourself when you miss a workout or eat a cupcake. You’ll be doing yourself an injustice if you give up when you slip up.