Make your resolutions realistic and achievable

Guest Commentary:

Congratulations. You survived Christmas weekend and all the craziness that goes along with it. Now I am sure you are starting to think about the new year to come. It is approaching fast. Well, technically it is here. 

What would I like to achieve this year? Where would I like to go? How should my life be different this year? So many thoughts and ideas on what I want to achieve in 2016. Time to set a resolution. 

You might think that it is weird that I encourage people to make a new year’s resolution. Especially since most people fall off the horse within a couple of weeks. However, I choose to promote realistic resolutions. No starvation diet plans or unrealistic leanness goals, please. Making a new commitment is important and healthy as long as you think about it. Think about how to add this new behavior into your “real life”.  

Your real life can be crazy and hectic at times. Perhaps you have a kid or two to feed, clothe, and interact with, a job to manage during the day, a household to care for and maintain and maybe even some animals, too. Real life is busy and active and just about the time you want to go for a walk another life situation stops you dead in your tracks. Therefore, this new year make a resolution that fits your “real life.”

Really take a moment to think about what you want to achieve or how you want to live. It does not have to be an all-or-nothing approach. Truthfully, I discourage those types of resolutions because usually you end up with nothing, not all you desired in the first place. Maybe that fitness goal needs to be a bit more flexible with where it happens or striving for one healthier meal a day instead of an entire week of healthy meals. In order to fit this resolution into your real human life you must be prepared for hurdles. It may not be easy, but if you make a realistic goal, set a plan, and continue to move forward while being flexible great things will happen in 2016. I can feel it. Happy New Year!

Liz Whalen is a personal trainer and health fitness specialist who lives and works in Libby. She also blogs at lizwhalenhfs.com