How to Keep Good on Your New Year's Resolutions 2017

Happy 2017! It’s the beginning of a new year, and for many of us, this marks the time we try to pick up new hobbies and exercises to improve ourselves and give up old habits that held us back. And if your resolutions list looks like most Americans’, getting healthy and staying fit so you can look great in your swimwear during the summer is somewhere at the top. Also, if your resolutions list looks like most other Americans, about half or more of your resolutions have squiggly lines through them because they’ve already been broken. Yikes!

No, really. According to research, only about 50% of people who make New Year’s resolutions are able to stick to them for longer than four weeks, and only about 8% of people actually achieve their resolutions. So, if you’re finding it tough to stick to that healthy eating and exercise regimen, you’re not alone.

The good news is that the wave of energy that comes in with the new year is still surfable, and it’s not too late to hop back on and follow through with your commitment to live a healthier, happier 2017.

Here are five of our favorite tips to help you stick to your resolutions in 2017.

Set Tangible, Incremental Goals

Setting huge, life changing goals can be fun and inspiring, until we look at the gap between where we are and where we want to be. Then suddenly, that elation we experienced from imagining our future selves turns into frustration, and that frustration ultimately grinds our progress into a halt.

A better way to set goals is to break big goals down into small, tangible increments--called SMART Goals (we use these at Sunsational).

Specific
What do you want to accomplish, in exact language as possible

Measurable
How will you know when you've reached your goal?

Attainable
What help and/or resources do you need to achieve your goal?

Relevant
How will reaching your goal affect your life for the better?

Time-bound
By when will your goal be accomplished? Set a date to give yourself perspective

For instance, rather than setting a goal to “be fit by summer”, make it a tangible goal by saying “lose 20lbs. by June 3.” Then break that goal down into increments, such as lose 1lbs per week. Suddenly, that large goal is doable, measurable, attainable, and it’s easier to hold yourself accountable.

What’s more, breaking your large goals down into mini-goals means we have the chance to achieve our goals more frequently. And achieving goals makes us feel good and gives us energy to keep working toward the big picture!

Abandon the “All or Nothing” Approach

“I ate poutine for dinner instead of a salad, so I may as well enjoy these macaroons for dessert and start my diet next week.” Does this frame of thinking sound familiar to you? Probably, because we’re human, and we’re good at finding ways to not do things we don’t really want to do (like eat salad for dinner). However, the difference between doing something rather than nothing is huge! At least that’s what Dr. Paul Marciano, behavior psychologist, life coach and author of self-help book Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work, says. So put down the macaroon and pick up some strawberries with honey. If you stumble out of bed and don’t want to do 20 minutes on the treadmill, lace up your sneakers and do 5 minutes (and you just might find you do another 15 minutes after the first 5 are out of the way). The difference between doing something rather than nothing is huge.

Get Inspired

Read testimonials and accounts from others who have accomplished what you’re setting out to accomplish. Their stories will remind you that succeeding is possible if you put your mind to it. The success of others is often the best inspiration! If you want to learn to swim this summer, check out some of these testimonials from Sunsational clients who thought it just wasn’t possible.

Get Others Involved

Having friends and family on board is another huge motivator. Research has shown that people who have support are the most successful at keeping to their commitments, like dieting or learning a new skill. Plus, when you make a commitment to improve your lifestyle along with someone else — a close friend, your significant other, a child — you're more likely to stick with it. Get the kids or your significant other involved in the kitchen and whip up a nutritious meal together one night each week (you’ll have a blast!). Have a friend who has also vowed to lose weight in the New Year? Set up walking dates at your local park or gym. You’re much more likely to show up for your workout when you know someone else is counting on you!

Make the Investment

If you’re serious about your New Year’s goals, then make some investments towards them. You want to learn to swim before you venture on your trip to the Bermuda Islands? Treat yourself to some stylish new swimwear in your goal size, purchase some one-on-one time with a personal swim instructor. Having visual and tangible reminders of your goals, such as a swimsuit and pictures of your islands destination, can serve as a powerful reminder to keep your goals top of mind. Purchasing one-on-one time with a trainer can help you be accountable, and the fact that you have invested money may keep you from finding excuses to skip on your pledge!

Is Learning How to Swim On your Resolutions List?

If learning how to swim is on your 2017 resolutions list, Sunsational is the smart way to reach your goal this year, and now is the time to purchase your private, one-on-one swimming lessons.

For a limited time only, purchase a Sunsational gift certificate today and redeem it before December 31, 2017 and get a $75 bonus added to your purchase of a $600 gift certificate, $50 bonus added to your purchase of a $400 gift certificate, or $25 bonus added to your purhcase of a $200 gift certificate!

You’ll find that at Sunsational, our number one goal is your success. We incorporate the SMART goal strategy into our swimming lessons, and our swim instructors tailor every lesson package to deliver specific, measurable, attainable, and time-bound results. Our approach to swimming lessons is so effective, we’re one of the only providers of private at-home swimming lessons to offer a learn to swim guarantee within just 12 lessons! Our swim instructors work with you every step of the way to help you reach your goals. It’s an experience in swimming lessons like you’ve never had before.

Purchase your gift certificate for your spring/summer swimming lessons now, and keep good on all your resolutions this year.