Don’t Quit Now: How to Stay Faithful to Your 2015 Resolutions

How to Stay Faithful to Your 2015 Resolutions

NY Resolution_Chispa MagazineIf you’re one of the millions of Americans who have vowed self-improvement in the New Year, odds are we have some bad news for you.

According to a recent study from the University of Scranton’s Journal of Clinical Psychology, you’re 92 percent likely to slack off in reaching those coveted resolutions.

Of the 45 percent of Americans who make resolutions, weight loss is the No. 1 ranked goal, with staying healthy and fit at No. 5.

But all hope is not lost: the solution to this problem? Don’t be a statistic!

“Of course, those statistics represent the average – you don’t have to be average!” says Dr. Virender Sodhi, founder of the Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Medical Clinic, (ayurvedicscience.com) providing complementary and alternative medicine.

“There are plenty of things individuals can do to improve their odds of success,” Sodhi explains, “if they resolve to become healthier and fitter.”

Author of the new guide, “Ayurvedic Herbs: The Comprehensive Resource for Ayurvedic Healing Solutions,” (www.ayush.com) Dr. Sodhi believes that following the laws of Mother Nature can aide us in achieving a disease-free world— and staying dedicated to health in the upcoming year is a great step in the right direction. He offers the following five tips for staying strong and achieving your New Year’s resolutions.

Leave Behind the Mentality of Instant-Gratification and Unrealistic Goals
Expecting to reach your ideal body image in just a few months is unrealistic, especially if you have minimal physical training experience. Having a late night snack or taking a quick puff are common infidelities for anyone resolving to lose weight or quit smoking in the New Year—but cheating on your resolutions can and will catch up to you. Achieving optimal health is a long-term commitment, a labor of love. So stay loyal to your goals and the results will slowly, but surely come.

Establish Good Habits
Resolutions are important, but they are hard. To make things easier, set the right goals, realistic ones. If you want to lose 100 pounds, focus on 10 first, and then 10 more, until you’ve reached your ultimate goal. Dedication to self-improvement steadily declines as the New Year advances; but it only takes a habit 28 days to stick. Focus on consistently progressing with each passing week and the habits that stick with you this New Year are sure to be good ones.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting Change
You’ll need three major investments to lose weight or gain muscle: time, frequency, and intensity. To start, exercise 30 minutes three to four times a week. Too little intensity and you may not see results, and too much can end up being a discouragement— so be sure to start with the appropriate level of intensity for your individual health. And when it comes to exercising, always remember: quality over quantity. Gradually increasing time and intensity while maintaining quality effort will help you comfortably and safely meet your goals.

Give Yourself Positive Reinforcement
Instead of rewarding your progress with slacking off a bit, utilize personal recognition by noticing your transformation. Whether it be stress levels, energy, mood, sex life, breathing, or overall strength, a healthy lifestyle can improve various areas of your life. And while they may be subtle, stay attuned to these improvements. Giving yourself credit for the little changes is a positive reward that won’t sacrifice momentum.

Welcome Supplemental Support
Take advantage of all practices that can improve your overall well being, and understand their interconnectedness. By ensuring that you eat healthy, you’re maximizing your exercising efforts, and vice versa. Consider adopting habits such as yoga and meditation, which can strengthen your psychological will to stay committed to the health cause. Additional health benefits can be found in supplements such as green tea extract, Bauhinia variegata (Kachnar) and Commiphora mukul (Guggul). Even spices like ginger, long pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic, ginger, onion and cinnamon can stimulate metabolism through their thermogenic properties.

Photo by Viktor Hanacek

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Ginny Grimsley

Ginny Grimsley

Ginny has been with EMSI for over seven years and has worked with lients in every phase of their publicity campaigns. As EMSI’s Print Campaign Manager, Ginny has experience working with print media, giving her a vital perspective of knowing what interests clients and how best to position them, so as to be included in their publications. This keen insight has enabled Ginny to obtain broad coverage in key offline and online periodicals and news sites. Ginny’s years of experience, media savvy, and understanding of the entire PR process, provides clients with a highly-skilled and qualified professional representing them to the media.

Ginny Grimsley

Ginny has been with EMSI for over seven years and has worked with lients in every phase of their publicity campaigns. As EMSI’s Print Campaign Manager, Ginny has experience working with print media, giving her a vital perspective of knowing what interests clients and how best to position them, so as to be included in their publications. This keen insight has enabled Ginny to obtain broad coverage in key offline and online periodicals and news sites. Ginny’s years of experience, media savvy, and understanding of the entire PR process, provides clients with a highly-skilled and qualified professional representing them to the media.