A Powerful Post About The True Science Behind "Typical New Year’s Resolutions" & How Brisbane Gym and Personal Training Fanatics Can Achieve Their 2014 Goals by Health and Fitness Australia’s Brisbane Personal Trainer, Helfi Joe
Chances are, in January 2014 there was a high probability that they were appearing all around you—New Year’s Resolutions. “I’m going to stick to it this time.” “I’m definitely going to lose weight.” “I’m going to stop drinking.” “This is my year to get better organized.” I’ve joined a gym and I’m going to go 5-6 times each week.”
What exactly do any of these New Year’s Resolutions have in commonality?
That’s simple: chances are they were all forgotten after a few weeks. In their defence, there have probably been old habits, old results and the same uneasy feeling of guilt, failure and lack of motivation that crept back. In fact, many recent studies showed that 80% of people have probably already broken their 2013 resolutions. And even more shocking, around 33% of them didn’t even hang on until the end of January 2014!
For those that have broken the 2014 resolution, to make matters worse, it becomes easier to just give up and wait for next New Year, 2015, to try again! I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE CASE!!!
Why you should “dump” the resolution, first and foremost!
New Year’s resolutions are part of a robust tradition that it is bizarre to find someone who doesn’t make some kind of choice to change when the New Year arrives. But when you stop to consider the dismal outcomes of fabricating resolutions, does this mean we are unusually onto something. Absolutely, that’s the logic as to why I am recommending that you dump the resolution.
Am I suggesting that I am giving you "the okay" to slack off and not worry about thinking big and striving for a better life? "No way, Jose". I am all about encouraging progression and forward inertia energy. I want you to strongly consider the direction of your life, future and clever habits of living better. I really want you to do it in a way that increases your probability of your success. Being realistic and strategic rather than the warped sensing of reality that overnight lifestyle U-turn changes will do it for you.
The benefit here is you can choose to make lifestyle changes at any time: not just at New Years!
The Common Cause of Failing New Year’s Resolutions
Deficiency in structured planning and a lack of inspirational vision are some of the major reasons that New Year’s Resolutions tend to fail. I know this is a cliché - human are creatures of habit. To such an extent that many scientists believe that our habits are purely hard wired inside our brains as physically stimulating passageways. Our brains are always
seeking the ways to preserve energy. So when you think about it, changing a habit is not as simple as it seems, our brains have to be rewired and seek new neural pathways.
What exactly do any of these New Year’s Resolutions have in commonality?
That’s simple: chances are they were all forgotten after a few weeks. In their defence, there have probably been old habits, old results and the same uneasy feeling of guilt, failure and lack of motivation that crept back. In fact, many recent studies showed that 80% of people have probably already broken their 2013 resolutions. And even more shocking, around 33% of them didn’t even hang on until the end of January 2014!
For those that have broken the 2014 resolution, to make matters worse, it becomes easier to just give up and wait for next New Year, 2015, to try again! I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE CASE!!!
Why you should “dump” the resolution, first and foremost!
New Year’s resolutions are part of a robust tradition that it is bizarre to find someone who doesn’t make some kind of choice to change when the New Year arrives. But when you stop to consider the dismal outcomes of fabricating resolutions, does this mean we are unusually onto something. Absolutely, that’s the logic as to why I am recommending that you dump the resolution.
Am I suggesting that I am giving you "the okay" to slack off and not worry about thinking big and striving for a better life? "No way, Jose". I am all about encouraging progression and forward inertia energy. I want you to strongly consider the direction of your life, future and clever habits of living better. I really want you to do it in a way that increases your probability of your success. Being realistic and strategic rather than the warped sensing of reality that overnight lifestyle U-turn changes will do it for you.
The benefit here is you can choose to make lifestyle changes at any time: not just at New Years!
The Common Cause of Failing New Year’s Resolutions
Deficiency in structured planning and a lack of inspirational vision are some of the major reasons that New Year’s Resolutions tend to fail. I know this is a cliché - human are creatures of habit. To such an extent that many scientists believe that our habits are purely hard wired inside our brains as physically stimulating passageways. Our brains are always
seeking the ways to preserve energy. So when you think about it, changing a habit is not as simple as it seems, our brains have to be rewired and seek new neural pathways.
 Our Brains Absorb New Knowledge Everyday |  Our Brains Conserve Energy And Can Resist Changes in Lifestyle Habits |  Our Brains Neural Pathways Are Formed For Now Lifestyle Changes and Habits |
To successfully make this happen, we need to have a reasonable strategy that focuses on identifying what and why we want and how we going to do it (with a plan). Remember, the brain will persist in working hard to follow the old pathways (habits), so introducing new ones is going to take a lot more structure, endeavour and energy. Now you know why our emotional and spontaneous resolutions, are set up for failure before we begin - because shifting a thought for change and converting into action (to change a habit) takes a lot more to apply.
Cool Suggestions On Changing Lifestyle Habits
We still have just under 3 months to achieve our 2014 goals. So for the Brisbane Gym | Brisbane Personal Training fanatics, I have come up with some cool suggestions to help you make positive changes in your life NOW. I reckon 2015 has already come - :), so no need to hold off til then! Check out our 21 Day Nutrition Rebalance Spring Clean Challenge.
Focus on the one. You increase your chances to make new lifestyle changes if you keep the “overwhelm myself factor” under total control. When we try to make change to multiple lifestyle habits “all at once”, this can promptly result in frustration and burnout. I suggest you focus on one specific area that you would like to change, and centre your energy there for around 21 Days. This will instil the habit…
Small steps go a “loooong way”. I’m not suggesting that you should not maintain big, brave goals. Of course you should. I see big goals like a mountain, and the best way we get to the top is one step at a time. That’s why you should set a goal, and then break it down into smaller manageable portions. If your seeking to further improve your health start by ensuring you drink 1 litre of water for your every 25kgs of body weight every day. When you’ve successfully achieved this for 21 days straight without forgetting, and you feel confident it is part of your normal habit, add in a new small step habit…perhaps, eating at least 5-6 smaller meals/snacks each day. When you’ve achieved success with that add another small step habit, and keep moving forward from there…
Plan for red lights and roadblocks. I always say to my Brisbane Personal Training clients, healthy lifestyle habits are about managing past red lights and road block – the more of them, while you are changing to a healthier lifestyle, the better – this means you will preserve the new changes because you have control. Seriously, what’s the likelihood that we can drive from the northside of Brisbane to the Brisbane Southside and have all 20 or so traffic lights be green? And then doing it day after day?… Hardly a chance – so lets get real! The unexpected WILL happen, so embrace this concept rather than
lose control and get frustrated with life. I suggest you focus on a solutions when the unexpected happens. The best way I do this is anticipate what are potentially going to be the red lights and road blocks, and then develop a simple strategy to manage it. Of course, sometimes we cant anticipate the unexpected and it arrives before we know it.. I suggest you don’t panic, give yourself the next 24hours to work it out (I learnt not to get cornered to making rash decisions within the first 24 hours) , and if by that stage you are stuck, contact your Brisbane personal trainer for support – that’s what we are here for… Having a process like this in effect hardwires the habit to account for those things that would throw the habit off. Here is a real life scenario I used have to deal with (and still do at time) quite often. Lets say you want to avoid unhealthy sweets and food at functions but know that eventually someone is going to bring in something that will tempt you. You know that no matter how much you say no, people are going to insist with typical frustrating phrases like ‘cmon its only this time’ of ‘you gotta enjoy life’. You get the picture. Well, I make a deal with myself prior to attending as to whether its an option (ie my cheat day) and then I drum up a convincing pass back statement that will diffuse any persisting people – for example “I’ve had an upset tummy all day, I don’t want to risk it”, “I’ve been recommended not to for the next three days”, or “I’m having a health analysis check done in a few days and I need to lay off the carbs, so that it doesn’t adversely affect results”. I’m sure you get the gist of it – the point is, don’t let yourself get caught off guard.
Shift it to the visual. I believe the more ways you can make your goals for lifestyle changes real and tangible, the greater the chance for success. Why not place calendar or chart in a visually seen place. Whenever you successfully achieve your new habit, indicate it on that date. This will set the platform for seeing a visual cue of your past success and achievement, and will be undoubtedly motivated and focused on staying on track to keep working on your new neural pathways habitual changes. Clearly you will be able to visually see a connection of achievement on your calendar forming a “chain of success.”
Be crystal clear on your “why” Let’s be real: chances are you are going to want to give in to pressure or challenges or through laziness at some point. Clearly, if you don’t have a strong enough “why” in front of you, you will not achieve the life change that you are seeking. Be serious about spending some time reflecting about why you want to create a new habits.
Reflect on questions such as:
What attracts you to your goal?
How will your life change when you reach your goal?
What are the consequences of not reaching your goal?
What will significant others say about you when you successfully achieve your goal?
What kind of meaningful regrets will you have if you quit before you achieve?
I’m certain, each of the above questions will help you clarify why you are focusing so hard towards your inspiration, and they will certainly help you push past any rough patches.
In summary, the great news is that while some of the old habits may continue to circulate in your brain, you have the power to build new circuits that can certainly become as strong as the old ones, if not stronger. It’s really up to you, your planning and structure. So the moral of this blog post, when you apply what I have suggested above, you have not just made and kept a New Year’s Resolution, instead, you have made a significant channel forward to change your life.
By the way, if you’re ready to get started with a personal training or fitness program that works (and you live in the Brisbane Southside area – we are located in Stones Corner) drop on by and we will be happy to give you a FREE Personal Training Experience session. You can also check out our 21 Day Fit & Tone Personal Training Package for $21 on our website. Of course, if you’re not a local resident you can Subscribe to our Helfi Minute Newsletter or like our facebook page to receive all the latest information, knowledge and events as well.
Cool Suggestions On Changing Lifestyle Habits
We still have just under 3 months to achieve our 2014 goals. So for the Brisbane Gym | Brisbane Personal Training fanatics, I have come up with some cool suggestions to help you make positive changes in your life NOW. I reckon 2015 has already come - :), so no need to hold off til then! Check out our 21 Day Nutrition Rebalance Spring Clean Challenge.
Focus on the one. You increase your chances to make new lifestyle changes if you keep the “overwhelm myself factor” under total control. When we try to make change to multiple lifestyle habits “all at once”, this can promptly result in frustration and burnout. I suggest you focus on one specific area that you would like to change, and centre your energy there for around 21 Days. This will instil the habit…
Small steps go a “loooong way”. I’m not suggesting that you should not maintain big, brave goals. Of course you should. I see big goals like a mountain, and the best way we get to the top is one step at a time. That’s why you should set a goal, and then break it down into smaller manageable portions. If your seeking to further improve your health start by ensuring you drink 1 litre of water for your every 25kgs of body weight every day. When you’ve successfully achieved this for 21 days straight without forgetting, and you feel confident it is part of your normal habit, add in a new small step habit…perhaps, eating at least 5-6 smaller meals/snacks each day. When you’ve achieved success with that add another small step habit, and keep moving forward from there…
Plan for red lights and roadblocks. I always say to my Brisbane Personal Training clients, healthy lifestyle habits are about managing past red lights and road block – the more of them, while you are changing to a healthier lifestyle, the better – this means you will preserve the new changes because you have control. Seriously, what’s the likelihood that we can drive from the northside of Brisbane to the Brisbane Southside and have all 20 or so traffic lights be green? And then doing it day after day?… Hardly a chance – so lets get real! The unexpected WILL happen, so embrace this concept rather than
lose control and get frustrated with life. I suggest you focus on a solutions when the unexpected happens. The best way I do this is anticipate what are potentially going to be the red lights and road blocks, and then develop a simple strategy to manage it. Of course, sometimes we cant anticipate the unexpected and it arrives before we know it.. I suggest you don’t panic, give yourself the next 24hours to work it out (I learnt not to get cornered to making rash decisions within the first 24 hours) , and if by that stage you are stuck, contact your Brisbane personal trainer for support – that’s what we are here for… Having a process like this in effect hardwires the habit to account for those things that would throw the habit off. Here is a real life scenario I used have to deal with (and still do at time) quite often. Lets say you want to avoid unhealthy sweets and food at functions but know that eventually someone is going to bring in something that will tempt you. You know that no matter how much you say no, people are going to insist with typical frustrating phrases like ‘cmon its only this time’ of ‘you gotta enjoy life’. You get the picture. Well, I make a deal with myself prior to attending as to whether its an option (ie my cheat day) and then I drum up a convincing pass back statement that will diffuse any persisting people – for example “I’ve had an upset tummy all day, I don’t want to risk it”, “I’ve been recommended not to for the next three days”, or “I’m having a health analysis check done in a few days and I need to lay off the carbs, so that it doesn’t adversely affect results”. I’m sure you get the gist of it – the point is, don’t let yourself get caught off guard.
Shift it to the visual. I believe the more ways you can make your goals for lifestyle changes real and tangible, the greater the chance for success. Why not place calendar or chart in a visually seen place. Whenever you successfully achieve your new habit, indicate it on that date. This will set the platform for seeing a visual cue of your past success and achievement, and will be undoubtedly motivated and focused on staying on track to keep working on your new neural pathways habitual changes. Clearly you will be able to visually see a connection of achievement on your calendar forming a “chain of success.”
Be crystal clear on your “why” Let’s be real: chances are you are going to want to give in to pressure or challenges or through laziness at some point. Clearly, if you don’t have a strong enough “why” in front of you, you will not achieve the life change that you are seeking. Be serious about spending some time reflecting about why you want to create a new habits.
Reflect on questions such as:
What attracts you to your goal?
How will your life change when you reach your goal?
What are the consequences of not reaching your goal?
What will significant others say about you when you successfully achieve your goal?
What kind of meaningful regrets will you have if you quit before you achieve?
I’m certain, each of the above questions will help you clarify why you are focusing so hard towards your inspiration, and they will certainly help you push past any rough patches.
In summary, the great news is that while some of the old habits may continue to circulate in your brain, you have the power to build new circuits that can certainly become as strong as the old ones, if not stronger. It’s really up to you, your planning and structure. So the moral of this blog post, when you apply what I have suggested above, you have not just made and kept a New Year’s Resolution, instead, you have made a significant channel forward to change your life.
By the way, if you’re ready to get started with a personal training or fitness program that works (and you live in the Brisbane Southside area – we are located in Stones Corner) drop on by and we will be happy to give you a FREE Personal Training Experience session. You can also check out our 21 Day Fit & Tone Personal Training Package for $21 on our website. Of course, if you’re not a local resident you can Subscribe to our Helfi Minute Newsletter or like our facebook page to receive all the latest information, knowledge and events as well.
HAVE FAITH & TAKE ACTION!
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Helfi Joe
Helfi Joe, is the Owner & Chief Fitness Officer of Health and Fitness Australia in Brisbane Southside, located in Stones
Corner. He also runs personal training sessions and group personal training Toning and Cardio sessions at his Personal Training Studio, which is a wonderful alternative to a Brisbane Gym.
Helfi Joe is obviously a fully certified Master personal trainer with the Australian Institute of Fitness, and is fully registered with our governing body Health and Fitness Australia. He also has a background in managing and mentoring people for over 20 years and with the people and personal development experience combined with his technical expertise in health and fitness, you can be rest assured Helfi Joe will give you the best guidance for your goals.
To contact Helfi Joe for training, education or to have him speak at an event please email [email protected].
P.S. – If you enjoyed this post please share it with your friends using the social media buttons below.
P.P.S. – Please ask a question or share a comment with us in the Comments section at the very bottom of the page. We love your feedback and will use it to develop future blog posts.
PLEASE CLICK THE “LIKE” BUTTON, POST A COMMENT AND SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS…
Helfi Joe, is the Owner & Chief Fitness Officer of Health and Fitness Australia in Brisbane Southside, located in Stones
Corner. He also runs personal training sessions and group personal training Toning and Cardio sessions at his Personal Training Studio, which is a wonderful alternative to a Brisbane Gym.
Helfi Joe is obviously a fully certified Master personal trainer with the Australian Institute of Fitness, and is fully registered with our governing body Health and Fitness Australia. He also has a background in managing and mentoring people for over 20 years and with the people and personal development experience combined with his technical expertise in health and fitness, you can be rest assured Helfi Joe will give you the best guidance for your goals.
To contact Helfi Joe for training, education or to have him speak at an event please email [email protected].
P.S. – If you enjoyed this post please share it with your friends using the social media buttons below.
P.P.S. – Please ask a question or share a comment with us in the Comments section at the very bottom of the page. We love your feedback and will use it to develop future blog posts.
PLEASE CLICK THE “LIKE” BUTTON, POST A COMMENT AND SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS…
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