You don’t have to wait until January 1st

Do any of these phrases sound familiar?

I will just start being healthy again on Monday

Once the new year hits, then I will begin working out

I am waiting until after the holidays to start eating well

We all do it. We love the feeling of a fresh start and have a tendency to postpone our goals until these hard start lines of a Monday, the first of the month, or the first of the year. And then give ourselves permission to go nuts before then. 

This is an especially common tactic right now, during the holiday season. The thought of waiting until January 1 to commit to our health goals is extremely tempting. But there are benefits to not ignoring our wellness habits until then. 

Of course, now is probably not the ideal time to start a whole new wellness routine. Between the additional festivities, drinking, eating, and stress, it does not make sense to add something completely new. 

However, it can be helpful to at least maintain our existing healthy habits and not let everything slide until the new year. It will help you feel better throughout this holiday season and make it much easier to start any new health habits in the future. Going from zero to hundred on January 1 will make it that much more difficult to stick to any resolutions you make - especially given that 80% of people abandon their resolutions after six weeks. 

Also, it will help to change your mindset and recognize that this is all part of a healthy lifestyle. It isn’t something that you start and stop and there is no falling off the wagon. It is a daily practice of treating yourself well in order to feel your best. 

So what can you do for the next few weeks to set yourself up for success in the new year?