Every New Year, as soon as the word “resolutions” gets thrown around, cue le sigh – the eye roll, the cacophony of groans, the palpable frustration. That’s because every year it’s the same story—we all resolve to be healthier and more active only to lose sight of our goals once happy hour rolls around, or that tagliatelle on the menu trumps your new year’s impulse to order the kale salad – no cheese, no breadcrumbs, dressing on the side. Oh, how dismal that sounds, and yet how very familiar. This year, instead of beating yourself up if you fail to meet your great expectations—start by making small and simple changes to your routine. The TIG’s resident wellness expert, and one of my very best friends, Heather Dorak (owner of the amazing Pilates Platinum), knows best. Take it away, Heather!
FROM HEATHER:
So many of us after the holiday season feel as though we need to kick it into high gear and create these exuberant New Year’s resolutions just to see them crash and burn by the end of the month. Doing this isn’t necessary if you do certain things ahead of time.
Do you have a routine? Yes. Good. Stick to it! If you like to workout at 6am before you head into the office, keep that time slot in your schedule, even if you stayed up a little later the night before. If you were a little more indulgent than you wanted to be, then do small things to reverse your thoughts. Add in an extra 5min to your run. Hold that plank a little longer. Do a few more pushups than usual.
If you don’t have a routine, the best way to start one is actually when you are the busiest. It will make life much easier when your schedule is more relaxed to keep up what you have already started. Here are a few great habit to start off with: make sure you eat a healthy breakfast, schedule a hour into your day for working out, meal prep on Sunday for your lunches or dinners during the week when you don’t have holiday parties, drink plenty of water, be nice to yourself every day.
Putting goals out into the universe like: “I want to drop 4 dress sizes by February” or “no more drinking” or “I must run 5 miles every day” are not maintainable goals. Attempting to make drastic changes will create drastic reactions when those changes don’t go as planned. More subtle modifications to your daily routine create longer lasting and more recognizable changes to your health and lifestyle!
So, cheers to being you and sticking to your healthy routine!