Be Part of the 8%

I have been teaching different aerobic classes once a week for the past month and have noticed a disheartening trend, less and less of the new faces are attending class. After teaching class last night I decided to look up the statistics on how long new year's resolutions typically hold out. The numbers are not too bad to start with 75% making it through the first week of their resolutions, 64% through the first month, and 46% past 6 months. However, the percentage that are successful at achieving their resolution is a staggering 8%. (Statistic Brain)

Contrary to many sources which claim that it takes a mere 21 days to create a new habit, other research has shown that it can ranch from 18 - 254 days. A more realistic average is about 66 days. What does this mean? It means DON'T LOSE FAITH!!! Maybe you worked your butt off the first week and slowly returned to your pre-resolution habits? Or you pushed yourself and made it all the way through a program or a cleanse and feel that you "earned" a reward day that turned into a few days and then a couple weeks, etc. If this sounds like something you are doing, STOP, re-evaluate, believe in yourself, and move forward without dwelling on past mistakes.

What are other ways can you ensure a spot in the elite 8% success rate? Today a friend shared a blog that, in my opinion, hit the nail right on the head. It's title "The brutally honest 6 reasons you are still overfat" tells it all. Although it has some vulgar language, the message holds true. A couple of the points really struck a cord with me. Knowing whether someone is going to be successful based on if they own up to their failures or if they blame everything on others. I've been there, done that and completely understand that if you can't accept that you are in charge of your decisions and can say NO you will not succeed. You CAN say no to treats at work and you CAN pre plan for busy days to ensure you aren't going through the drive through for a quick, unhealthy meal. Stop blaming others and circumstances, pull up your big girl panties and take control!

The author, Coach Taylor, also talks about how the definition of a treat has become so skewed. When I was growing up we had homemade meals around the dinner table and had fast food only a handful of times per year. Now a days, fast food has become a main stay in many households because of busy schedules. Pop, candy, chips, etc. also used to be a special treat that we had for special occasions such as Halloween, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, etc. and not something that was a staple in everyone's pantry. I'm not pointing fingers because I'd be throwing rocks at glass houses. This article was such an eye opener for me that I hope others will see it as a motivator to either stay the course of improving their lifestyles in healthy ways or they will begin their journey to healthy living. 

Remember, YOU are in charge of your success, don't make excuses! Be resolved to continue your transformation into a healthier you and be part of that 8%.

Reflection

Decisions, decision....

I LOVE this time of year because the snow is a beautiful reminder of the hope of new beginnings and fresh starts. I get excited when I get a new planner (received a great Wizard of Oz one from my mother in law this Christmas :) ) and am able to fill in dates with birthdays, events and goals. The bitter cold is also a reminder of a sense of anxiety with limitless goals to be made and a look back at resolutions that were not fulfilled in the prior year.

Goal making, for me, gives me a feeling of excitement mixed with stress. I've discovered that one thing that helps me to create a realistic resolution is to also create a detailed plan. Example, you can decide that you want to quit smoking but you aren't going to be able to wake up one morning and say, okay, I'm done, and never smoke again. There has to be steps in place, nicotine gum, patches, activities to replace all the time that used to be spent lighting up and people to support you. The same is true for any goal. It's just like building a house, you need a plan, the proper tools and support system.

I have a few resolutions/ goals in mind that I will put in tomorrow's post, however, I'm struggling with the details. There are so many great options out there for people trying to get in shape. I've tried MOST of them with great short term results. I'm very content with sticking with Weight Watchers, using myfitnesspal.com, my fitbit, working out at the Y, and using shakeology as a healthy supplement. I ran a great Holiday Survival group that's finishing up this week and kept me in check over the holidays. My local Y is running a weight loss challenge group starting next Monday and the stakes are high, money is a great motivator. I was 100% sure I was signing up for it until I ran across another money motivator (DietBet), it's an online weight loss challenge site where you can join a challenge with the potential of earning money by losing weight. Either of these will be a great motivator for me, having someone else holding me accountable with the potential of earning money, who couldn't use extra money!?!

Today I plan on doing some self reflection to not only help me to decide between the two motivators above but also to look back at past mistakes, steps to ensure said mistakes do not occur again, and how I can move forward to create a me that I can be proud of, not just in body, but in mind and soul.

Take a moment of reflection today~ think of a person that you look to as a role model? What characteristics to they encompass? How could you make changes to be more like that person?

**If you like my blog, please feel free to share it on FB, Twitter, Pinterest or any other social media! I'd love to have more readers and possibly more people to motivate!?Also PLEASE feel free to leave comments, I love hearing from all of you! :) **

Sunday Ponderings

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I had a blessed day celebrating the birth of our Savior and spending quality time with friends and family over the past few days.
I'm hoping that some of my tips helped you to get through the holidays. I wish I would have followed more of them myself but I did my best to fill up with water and binge on the veggie trays. I didn't get a workout in on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday but have decided that I'm okay with that. I am grateful for the time I spent with loved ones and now have a few days to get myself back on track. I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine and having a few days to clean house (focusing on the fridge and cupboards).

With New Year's Day coming in just a few short days, it's that time of the year to look back over the past few months, evaluate, and decide what your goals are for 2015. I spent our long car trip reflecting on this past year. I believe that I made a lot of steps in the correct path; I took charge of my health, joined WW and restarted my membership to the YMCA, I began running again and completed my first 10K, I spent more quality time with my children, and furthered my education. I am very proud and grateful for all these wonderful revisions I've made in my life, however I know that this is not a simple walk in the park, it's a journey on a windy, endless path. So here I am, looking behind at the uphill, rocky path and looking ahead at a similar path, perhaps not as steep but still with many obstacles awaiting me.

Over the next couple days I will create a plan for the upcoming year's resolutions and the best way to approach them (in my opinion). For now I'm going to assess 2014 and make a list of the positive experiences and the ones that I can learn from. Have a marvelous Monday!