Fit For Life: Have You Done the whole New Year’s Resolution Thing?

Saturday, January 02, 2016

Matt Espeut, GoLocalPDX Health +Lifestyle Contributor

Did you start yet? Have you taken action? If not, you’ve already failed. Why, you may ask? Because January 1st was Friday, and if you are reading this on Saturday, you missed it! You missed the day you were going to make a positive change in your life. The day you were going to start something new, exciting and beneficial for yourself. The big goal you were going to achieve, has already eluded you. Right?

I understand that Friday was the holiday, and I am all for rest when necessary, but if you set out to do something, and bend the rules from day one, you will most likely justify bending the rules throughout the year, and make up lame excuses why you failed.

You see, only action takers and quick thinkers get great results. You will never accomplish anything by procrastinating. Nor will anything ever happen while you are - thinking - about it. You dream when you sleep, so stop dreaming, and thinking about being fit, and get moving. Because thinking about starting a program gets you nowhere. Many folks will wait until Monday. Well, Monday is the beginning of the week, but January 1st was the real beginning of the New Year. So if you made a resolution to start getting in shape on Jan 1st, you missed it.

I have people call me mid week, and say, “ok, I’ll start on Monday”. My response is always, “what about tomorrow”? Who ever said you have to wait til Monday to start something new. In most cases, you could have gotten several workouts completed by Monday, and this is no different.

If you wait until Monday January 4th, you shorted yourself two workouts and about 10 healthy meals. If you wait until Mon, and keep eating like crap, you could gain another 3-4 pounds, instead of possibly losing a couple.

Now, think about it. That’s a 2-7 lb set back, because instead of being 2-3 down BY MONDAY, you are now 3-4lbs heavier. I am not saying that just because you missed the start date, you will never get in shape, or follow through with your promise, I am just telling you that if you put it off, its already time to step back and reassess what your goals are.

Instead of having “lose weight” as your primary resolution, maybe you should change a few things around and make a few different resolutions first. Here are a few you can try.

Follow through.

Tell yourself that when you decide to start something, you are going to start following through with that given task. Be an action taker instead of putting things off - until Monday.

Be on time.

We set schedules, appointments, and goals for a reason. When you have a task to accomplish, and you set a time, stick to your guns and do it when you are supposed to. Don’t be late.

Put fear in your back pocket.

You are supposed to feel scared when you are trying something new, but after the initial task gets started, you always feel silly for being afraid in the beginning. Put it behind you and jump in.

Be the best you can be.

I don’t care what you are doing, but doing it in a half-hearted way is a waste of time. Be either all in, on don’t do it at all. If you have to say “I’m trying” all the time, it means you are not “doing”. And if you are truly trying your best, you WILL be doing. There is nothing out there that you can’t accomplish if you do your best and put fourth an all out effort, so stop trying and just do it.

Time management.

Waiting, putting things off, and being lazy will always take you to the same place. Behind schedule!! We are all given the same amount of time in the course of any given day, but some people get more done than others. Why is this? Because they manage their time better. So take charge of your time, and use it wisely.

In conclusion: Don’t be a talker or thinker, be a doer! You only get paid for “done”. Stop saying that you will try something and just start doing things. Life is too short, and time goes by too fast. Get on the action takers train and ride through this upcoming year like a powerful locomotive, not a donkey cart standing on the sidelines thinking about your next move.

Happy New Year All!

Matt Espeut, GoLocal's Health & Lifestyle Contributor has been a personal trainer and health & fitnesss consultant for over 25 years. He is the owner of two fitness centers on the East Coast. You can reach Matt at (401) 453-3200; on Facebook at "Matt Espeut", and on Twitter at @MattEspeut. "We’re all in this life together – let’s make it a healthy one!"

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MyFitnessPal

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JeFit

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Strava

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YogaStudio

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SimplyBeing

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Fooducate

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Made for iPhone and Android