Diet Tips for 2013 It is a New Year and people make resolutions to change their eating habits and get fit. In fact, starting a brand-new diet is the number one ...
Sharon Osbournes Lap Band ExperianceBefore she was Sharon Osbourne as we know her, the matriarch of her foul-mouthed family, a co-judge on America's Got Talent, or before she took a ...
Reality TV Star Undergoes Lap BandAfter years of trying to lose weight through dieting, reality TV star Lauren Manzo turned to lap band ...
Normal Weight for Your SizeIn a world that is bombarded daily with health, weight, and body image issues it is easy to get confused about what information is relevant to ...
Types of Eating DisordersWhen it comes to body image, there are so many expectations. Not only do we want to be beautiful, but we also want to be ...

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

Towards the end of January and beginning of February many people start to give up on their New Year's Resolutions. Diets fail, exercise plans fade away and financial hiccups may have people throwing in the towel. However, there is no reason to abandon your resolutions. The following are several tips on how you can make your resolution a reality.

Turn Your Resolution Into a Goal

Having a specific goal for your resolution makes it easier to track progress. Instead of saying, "In 2013, I'm going to lose weight!", decide how much weight you'd like to lose, then divide it by twelve. That will give you a monthly goal. By doing this, it makes the resolution manageable. If your goal is to get out of debt, find out how much you owe and make a monthly plan to pay it off.

SMART Goals

Now that you have a goal, make sure it is a SMART goal. SMART means, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time sensitive. Specific is having the goal be, well, specific. Instead of 'loose weight' or 'get out of debt' decide how much weight or how much debt specifically you want to loose. Measurable means that you will know if the goal has been achieved. Instead of saying, "I want to get a faster race time," say exactly what time you want to get. Attainable means that it is a goal that can be reached and you will know when it has been reached. Realistic means that it is something that is possible for you to do. For example, it's not realistic to drop 100 pounds in one month. But you can set a realistic, healthy goal of 8-10 pounds per month. Continue setting new goals to eventually reach the big goal of dropping 100 pounds. Goals can be high, but make sure they are realistic. Time Sensitive means that the goal has a deadline. Instead of saying 'someday' give a specific day. This adds a sense of urgency that will motivate you.

What if you don't make your goal by the time-line you set? Don't give up! Re-evaluate your goal and figure out how you can make it happen.

Many people give up on their resolutions because they were not properly stated in the terms of attainable goals. Figure out what you want to achieve, and create a SMART goal to get you there!