Solutions To Your Resolutions by Suzanne Laurie, IHS Academic Director


Hands up those who made New Year resolutions. And now those who have already broken them! 40% of us make resolutions in the New Year, but only 8% manage to follow them through. So what do those who succeed do differently? They coach themselves to success, and you can too if you follow are simple steps below.

Be Realistic
Over ambition is the fast track to failure. Choose 1 or 2 changes that really motivate you and focus your energy on those. Once they are nailed then move onto a couple more. Remember – a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step!

Get Writing
Committing your goals to paper and regularly reviewing them gives you a whopping 95% better chance of achieving what you want.

Be Specific
Vague resolutions are failed resolutions. Want to lose weight? Decide exactly how much, by when (being realistic and safe) and why. Consider your overall goal but also set interim milestones that can be celebrated along the way.

Visualise Your Ideal You
Imagine yourself once you have achieved your goals in glorious detail. What do you feel/look like, what can you touch/taste/smell, who is with you and what amazing places are you in. Do this regularly to help keep you motivated.

Weigh up the Pros and Cons
Write down all the positives to making your planned change. Look beyond the obvious. Now be honest about the reasons not to do it e.g. reduced social life/ less of your favorite foods. Do the pros outweigh the cons. If not then this may not be the change for you right now. But check the next point first!!

Make Your Negatives Positives
Be creative! Does dieting really have to limit flavour? – could a couple of new cookbooks or a recipe share with friends shake up your diet? Is all exercise boring? – Could a Zumba class or a team sport spike your interest? Also, try reframing your objections e.g. less time on the sofa increases your potential for meeting new interesting friends. A new eating plan allows you to explore new flavours/cuisines.

Are you Really Ready?
No unnecessary get of jail free cards here but do consider the level of support you have/what you need in place to maximise success/whether you have the tools you need e.g. exercise equipment/unusual ingredients. Consider what may hamper your success such as lack of time/high stress levels/an unsupportive partner. Once you have noted any barriers to change, contemplate how these can be overcome. If they can’t then it may be time to focus on another challenge until they can be reduced or removed.

Chart your progress
This can be as simple as ticking off a check list or more creative such as graphing your weight loss or using a daily/weekly tracking sheet. Whatever works for you – but it does work, so be sure to do it!

Be Accountable to Yourself
Don’t be unnecessarily harsh if things slip but too sit down and have an honest chat with yourself about why! Could you be doing more than you are to meet your goals? Consider what you need to do to get where you want to be/reassess your goals if they were genuinely too hard and write them down again. Sharing your goals and progress with others can also be motivating – particularly if a group are working towards the same goals.

Celebrate Your Successes
Acknowledge all the successes on your journey to the life you want, no matter how small. If you fall off the wagon….celebrate jumping right back on! If you lose 1lb a week for a month and are a 3rd of the way to your weight loss goals – celebrate!

So if you want to be in that 5% of people who actually get what they want out of life then a bit of planning can go a long way. If you would like to help others achieve their goals as a professional coach then see more details of the IHS Diploma in Diet, Health & Wellness Coaching here