Feb 28, 2018 4 min read

Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 412

Notice: Trying to get property 'term_id' of non-object in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 412

It’s only March, but when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions pertaining to diet and exercise, many have already given up. In fact, many lost track of these resolutions before January ended.

“Unfortunately, New Year’s Resolutions are often very short lived,” says Susan Ceklosky, licensed sports nutritionist and certified weight loss coach. “I truly believe this is because our decision to make the specific change, or implement the resolution, is not strong enough.”

Ceklosky, who owns the North Strabane-based Positively Fit U, says that it’s become a tradition that around the end of December or beginning of January, we begin to make decisions about things we want to change or to think about things that we would like to have happen. “We do this because it’s the beginning of a new year, and that’s what we’re supposed to do, right? We make New Year’s Resolutions because of the tradition of it, and not because we are truly committed to doing what it is we call our New Year’s Resolution.”

The issue at hand, for most, according to Ceklosky, is that New Year’s Resolutions are about change, which can be hard for a lot of people. She attributes this to having to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones, which can be challenging and temporarily uncomfortable.

“It all comes down to how determined we are to make a change and the level of discomfort we are able to handle when it comes to making that change, or if we will allow that discomfort to pull us back into our comfort zone.”

Given that it’s only March and the year is still young, there is still plenty of time to get back on track and make 2018 a success. Ceklosky recommends making a list of the reasons why we must make the changes we feel we should. “If we just think, ‘we should,’ ‘it would be nice to…’ or ‘I am going to try to….’ then we aren’t resolving in our mind that we want to make a change,” she explains. “It’s better to say ‘I must change my eating habits,’ or ‘I must lose 20 pounds,’ and list the reasons why. List the things that you are going to gain in your life by making the changes as opposed to what you’re going to ‘give up.'”

In addition, she advises that we think about how others might benefit from us following through on our resolutions, which might help us to think twice before we give up on those promises.

If it’s your diet that you are hoping to change, Ceklosky recommends that you get rid of all trigger foods in your house. “We want to make sure that overall, our diet is filled with what it should be. If we aren’t eating enough protein, good carbs and good fats, we may crave things that aren’t healthy for us. If we aren’t drinking enough water, we may crave things that aren’t healthy for us. Look at the big picture. Do what you can to improve, and your cravings will decrease. In addition to just getting these trigger foods out of the house, think about healthy alternatives that you can eat to replace the foods you crave.”

When it comes to increasing your activity levels, Ceklosky says that we think about the reason why we want to get moving, whether it be for health reasons, to feel better, have more energy or to lose weight. “Think about all the reasons why you want to get moving and visualize how you are going to feel when you get there. Yes, the couch may be comfortable, but it’s an incredible feeling to have more energy, know that you are healthy and that your clothes fit better. Know that when you first begin an exercise program or are just getting back to one after a period of time off, the beginning is always the hardest part. So you just need to figure out ways to commit to it. Sign up for a class or recruit a friend to meet you so you are less likely to not go.”

When it comes down to it, New Year’s Resolutions are definitely not a waste of time, depending on the person making them and their level of commitment to success. Ceklosky, in fact, is a big supporter of resolutions, if we go about making them the right way. “The idea of a new year and a fresh start is a motivator for people to make changes, as long as you know how to make them the right way.” n