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Her Campus

Her Campus

Posted: December 30, 2010 04:35 PM

Every year, by the time late December rolls around, hundreds and hundreds of men and women vow to lose weight -- or at least get healthier. You are, more than likely, one of these people. Yet, two weeks into January, your motivation plummets, and by February, you've forgotten all about your New Year's resolution.

In a Her Campus article, Hannah Orenstein explores a few ways that you can keep your health resolutions all year long.

We're all too familiar with the common New Year's phenomenon: As you watch the ball drop, you vow to maintain a 20 foot distance from all carbs and dedicate the rest of your life to the treadmill. But by the first week of January, your pasta cravings are becoming hard to ignore and you skip more than a few days at the gym. By the middle of the month, you indulge in bagels on a daily basis and your sneakers have collected dust. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? According to Psychology Today, the top two most common New Year's resolutions are to lose weight and exercise more often. It's no surprise that these lofty, vague goals are often not fulfilled by the end of the year, which can easily make you feel like a failure. Rather than setting yourself up for potential disappointment, start 2011 off on the right foot by making a healthy New Year's resolution that you can actually keep.

Here are seven suggestions for realistic, attainable resolutions that you might actually enjoy keeping:


Try A New Class
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Who should try it: Have you always wanted to learn to kickbox? Are you interested in trying out that hot yoga class your friends are all raving about? Sign up for a new class if you're ready to shake up your exercise routine or would benefit from the social aspect of a group class.

How to keep it: Enroll in the class and mark it on your calendar to remind yourself to go back week after week. Once it becomes part of your routine, it's easy to work up the motivation to hit the gym. As an added bonus, a class is a great way to meet new people. (Feeling shy on the first day? Enlist a friend to work out with you.)
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Are you inspired to make a healthy resolution this year? The "me movement" is a pledge to enjoy the holiday season while staying healthy. Founder Rebecca Scritchfield explains, "The me movement is all about good self care and meeting our own health and wellness needs. It's a reminder that when we put our needs first, we can better care for others and we can perform our own day to day tasks with more energy and positivity." The movement focuses on making healthy New Year's resolutions, whether they're one of the resolutions we've featured here or one of your own choosing. Scritchfield recommends that your resolutions should "look more like goals, be specific, measurable and have a plan; be realistic and attainable; be positive and caring toward yourself."

Instead of making the same old "lose five pounds" resolution year after year, make 2011 the year you take charge and form a healthy resolution. Which of these seven are you most excited to try? Leave a comment below and let us know!

 

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Every year, by the time late December rolls around, hundreds and hundreds of men and women vow to lose weight -- or at least get healthier. You are, more than likely, one of these people. Yet, two wee...
Every year, by the time late December rolls around, hundreds and hundreds of men and women vow to lose weight -- or at least get healthier. You are, more than likely, one of these people. Yet, two wee...
 
 
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09:01 PM on 01/05/2011
Awesome post! It can be really tough to stick to those New Year's resolutions, I love the alternative suggestions. A treadmill is so boring, I'm thinking about boxing as part of my plans, and I found a workout buddy as well!
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April Pells
08:21 PM on 01/02/2011
That last one is especially true. I worked in the plus sized industry for years, and the size denial is rampant. You heard a lot of "Oh, well, these must be sized wrong, cause I'm a 16, and these are NOT a 16." And bra sizing is even worse. If you are a size 26, your bra band size is not 38. Deal with it, go to your actual size, and be comfortable for once in your life.
08:41 PM on 12/31/2010
Great advice, but the people in the hammocks are doing it wrong. You're supposed to put your whole body in the hammock to get your 7 hours of sleep. Like this.... http://www.blogcdn.com/www.diylife.com/media/2010/07/hammock-590.jpg
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sabelmouse
my micro bio is emty
07:36 AM on 12/31/2010
but what is that hanging in a hammock thing up there?
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goddess1871
Sick to freakin' death
10:48 PM on 12/30/2010
I worked pretty hard this past year on getting more water and less soda. I have found I am much more able to tell the difference between wanting a snack of soda (even if it's a diet soda) and needing the nourishing hydration of water. I can truly tell a difference.
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seachange525
All will be well...I just don't know how yet :)
06:46 PM on 12/30/2010
My New Year's Resolution is to love and accept myself as I am, without demanding that I do more. Seems to me a lot of people would be happier doing that. Although hanging my butt in a sling does look kinda fun...
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jacquelinenh
HuffPo Addict
05:51 PM on 12/30/2010
Excellent advice!
04:36 PM on 12/30/2010
That class in the first picture looks really cool! What is it and where would I find it?