Well in 3 days it will be here. New Year’s Eve. The dropping of the Ball in Time’s Square at midnight. Are you staying up for the show? Will you be partying with your friends and “Rocking in the New Year" with Ryan Seacrest? Well, when the time comes for everyone to sing Auld Lang Syne and say farewell to 2017 and welcome in 2018. It’s usually the time to promise to keep a new year’s resolution, or two. So how about it? Is your resolution going to be the same one from last year and the year before that… Is your resolution to get in better shape, eat healthier and maybe lose 20lbs. or even more?
Well if you don’t want to be repeating the same resolution until we hit 2020, and beyond, you need to ante up a sense of “Commitment”. That’s the only way you’re going to succeed in finally fulfilling your resolution and at the same time getting in the best shape of your life. And by doing this, you could, no not could, WILL extend your life and provide yourself with sustained mobility and stamina as you maintain that commitment to healthy everything!
In order to do this, you need to set goals, and not pie in the sky goals, but reachable goals and when that goal has been reached. You make another one and so on as you travel on your new path to fitness. To help you through this process you need to work with some tools, just like a professional carpenter, doctor or engineer. You need the right tools to do the job you are attempting to finish. One such tool that can help you on your path to fitness for the year 2018 is a good activity monitor, even one that monitor’s your heart rate that you can view at a glance. One such monitor or smartwatch is the Fitbit Charge 2 Activity Tracker HR . The Fitbit Charge 2 is specially tailored with some cutting-edge features like the PurePulse heart rate monitor, which makes it easy to track your cardio fitness levels and get the most out of your workouts. The all-day activity tracking and auto sleep tracking allows you to observe how your daily routine adds up. The SmartTrack feature enables you to record your workouts select exercises automatically and monitor real-time workout stats on a large screen. With a plethora of next-generation features and a stylish look, the Fitbit Charge 2 offers everything you need to perk up your fitness levels. And besides monitoring the usual, steps, calories burned and distance traveled, its Smart Track feature tracks specific workouts like run, bike, weights, etc. While the Integrated GPS used during the run mode, offers a map of the route post-workout! So you see, no matter what type of physical exercise you choose to undertake in order to push your body to its maximum potential the Fitbit Charge 2 HR will have all the data you need and then you can not only sync it to your computer but it’s also compatible with over 200 other devices. So you will always be able to monitor and adjust your progress based on the accurate data you are provided with.
Getting back to that keyword, Commitment. One of the best ways to stick to anything new is to rationalize just why you want to do this. Besides the obvious of getting healthy, you sometimes need a carrot to make the stick easier to take. Try and steer clear of the: “I have to do this attitude”. Rather focus on what brought this resolution out in the first place. Maybe you're getting tired of trying to fit into those slacks or shirt/blouse that only a few months ago you purchased because your old ones were snug then. And now you have the same problem with a larger size. Whatever the reason focus on the end goal. Try to imagine looking into a mirror and seeing a fitter, healthier, younger you looking back.
Besides the commitment to regular, scheduled exercise, nutrition is going to need to be a big factor for your healthier lifestyle for 2018. Clean up your diet. You are probably aware of the saying “you are what you eat” so stick to this rule when planning meals. See food as fuel rather than comfort and become aware of what you’re consuming. It may help to keep a diary. 60% of achieving success in your new healthier lifestyle is down to your diet. Educate yourself on healthy eating either by reading information online and in books, or join a club in your local area. Many high schools and junior colleges offer Non-CE classes for people in the evenings. If you have health issues they can affect your diet, it may be wise to consult an expert like a dietician, but get a recommendation from your personal physician first. Ensure you stay hydrated, especially as you’re increasing your exercise levels. Drinking plenty of water in the day gives energy. Try to avoid drinking too many drinks containing caffeine, larger than normal amounts of salt and sugar.
Nutrition is such a large encompassing topic that we will schedule at least one or two blogs, particularly on this important topic.
Remember our keyword for 2018? Commitment!! It’s so easy to just give up after the first week or two, so always keep your goal and vision at the forefront of your mind. Try to see your new routine as a permanent lifestyle change. Because it really is! Often it’s a good idea to get support from friends with similar goals so that you can support each other. But the bottom line is it’s really all up to you!
Set your goals, commit to regularly scheduled exercise, a schedule that you can make! And start eating right. You know the basics like we said above, we will post more on proper nutrition. But you already know enough to start with. After all, none of this is really rocket science! Most are just good old common sense. Don’t eat more than you need to get you through the day, but make sure your body processes what you eat by helping it along with a good, regular dose of exercise.
There you have it. Your New Year’s resolution, and its one you can put paid to by this time next year at that 2018 New Year’s Eve party!