It’s the new year and that means every time you turn on your television or you’re in the checkout line at the grocery store, you’re bound to see a Weight Watchers advertisement with Oprah in it talking about how to make your New Year’s resolutions reality with joining their program. Every January, it becomes unquestionably obvious that people want to be a better them than they were the year before. Most people set goals and make New Year’s resolutions that they plan to stick to, but how many actually set these plans into motion and then end up stopping or forgetting the goals they set? Many people forget those goals because the steps they take to achieve them can sometimes be way too extreme. Let’s admit, you can get a little ahead of yourself sometimes.
So let’s try something different this year. Instead of going overboard in a week, let’s do this one day at a time. Here is a list of common goals that many of us have that we can actually stick to if we take the right steps and hold ourselves accountable for 2016.

Working out

First and foremost, if your weight loss goals are to look like someone else or to fit an ideal of perfect that has been somehow planted in your brain, stop there. If you want to lose weight, you should want to so that you can simply feel and look better in the skin you’re in. Trying to mimic what you see in the media isn’t realistic at all. Learn to love your body the way it is and if you want to lose some weight or get in shape, do it for you and not to fit the mold of what someone else thinks is perfect.
Here are some quick tips on sticking to your weight loss goals:
1)     DON’T over do it the first week! Getting in shape takes time and in a society that gets everything fast and when we want it, the results you want when it comes to your weight, are going to take time.
2)     Set a limit on your time in the gym. If you only want to work out for 15 minutes, that’s fine for a start. Work your way up and increase your time when you feel like you’re ready to give yourself a push. Create a schedule that works for you.
3)     Don’t let the pain discourage you. Yes, you start to feel the burn after one day, I mean hey, it’s been a while. But don’t give up!
4)     You don’t HAVE to go to the gym. If you want to be more active there are many ways you can do so at home, in your community or with your friends. Get some fresh air, go run in the park or gather some friends and play a team game like volleyball. Switch up your activities and working out can be a lot more fun.
5)     Be Patient!

Developing better eating habits

Eating better is another New Year’s resolution that most people make, but while being a college student, life is so much easier when you can just pick something up from a fast food spot instead of actually having to cook at home. Thinking like this is the reason most students don’t stick to eating healthier once they make it a goal. Limit the amount of times you eat out during the week and try a new recipe or try baked foods instead of fried for a while.
Planning your meals and keeping a food diary are also good ways to help you stay on track. Remember if this is something you truly want, you have to know that it’s a lifestyle change. Don’t revert back to your old ways out of laziness.

Making All A’s

Yassssss, totally love the enthusiasm! Who doesn’t like to make all A’s? Everyone wants to make good grades and do well in their classes until it’s the end of the semester and all of a sudden the same people that wanted straight A’s are the same ones saying, “Hey, I’m just trying to pass.” Let’s get real for a second. Your grades won’t change if your priorities don’t. If you’re constantly focused on things that aren’t beneficial to your academic success or if you’re spending little time than you should on your studies, your grades won’t change. Spend some extra time in the library and simply read over your notes each week.
Try going back to those middle and high school day rules. Put yourself on punishment every time you fail an assignment. No A’s, no going out on Saturday’s.

Quitting bad habits

Many people have bad habits. Some of those may include drinking a little too much or even smoking. If you really see one of your habits as a problem that you want to quit, then do just that, quit. Some people may have self-doubts about giving up drinking, smoking, or any bad habit you feel that is holding you back, but these are one of those situations where you don’t have to do it alone. Take it upon yourself to find the resources that will help you through those negative thoughts and that help you start and take the steps you need, to make a change. Lean on friends or family to hold you accountable when you feel like you can’t hold yourself accountable to quitting a bad habit. Remember, take everything one day at a time.

Saving money

Saving money is always hard to do. Especially during lunchtime in between classes when all you want is that eight count chicken nugget meal with a large fry and a lemonade from chick-fil-a every other day.  Set up a weekly budget to start and go from there. Limit the amount of times you spend money on unnecessary things like snacks from the gas station, going out excessively or that really cute shirt online (even though it was to die for and you just absolutely couldn’t help yourself).
There are even apps you can get to help you keep track on your spending or simply calling up your bank and setting limits on your accounts. Mint is a good app that shows you how to manage your spending. It also allows you to sync up your accounts to the app so that you can see exactly what your finances are looking like. Another good app is Level. Level allows you to track how you spend your money daily. Using these resources can help you be happy in the long run. Who wouldn’t like to see extra digits or a comma in their bank account? Save, save, saveee!!
These New Year’s Resolutions realities were just a basic start. Now it’s your turn to actually see them through. Stick with your goals and make yourself proud in 2016!