073 - Why New Years Resolutions Fail and What You Can Do About It

Explicit content warning

12/04/19 • 27 min

So, it's almost time for New Year's resolutions and in all honesty, I'm not a fan. And it's because I don't believe in waiting for an arbitrary date to start changing your life.

I mean, if you're ready and willing to make a change, then do it now. Waiting until January 1 makes no sense to me.

But there are hundreds of millions of people who disagree with me and set resolutions so today I'm going to share why the vast majority fail and what you can do to avoid that failure.

I read a statistic that only 8% stick to their resolution all year and that's crazy to me. Why is it so low?

It's because of these reasons:

Resolutions are nothing more than goals and goals need to meet a few criteria to work. Using the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting method works well for most and most goals are set far too vague and broad. "I want to lose weight and be healthier" isn't a goal. It's a wish. Instead try "I will lose 30 pounds by March 1 by following XYZ program and cutting out all fast foods and soda".
Most people know "what" they want to accomplish, but few know "why". Having a deep emotional reason to see your resolution through is critical yet most don't take the time to find it. Just wanting to lose weight or get fit is nice, but if you don't have a deep desire to do it, it will likely fail.
Most people try to achieve their resolutions on sheer willpower. Willpower is a very finite resource and when it runs out, you're back at square one. How about having a written set plan of action instead? Not only that, take action every single day.
Many make the mistake of choosing resolutions that aren't in alignment with their beliefs, values, and actual wants. Make sure your goal is something you truly desire.
Many people also don't actually believe that they can accomplish their resolutions. For example, someone who has failed on multiple diets over the course of years and has all but given up hope of finding success will likely fail again if they set a goal that isn't realistic and believable. Meaning that if they don't think they can do it, just merely want it, then it's really just a wish. Instead, set a very small and attainable goal and reward yourself for each small victory. Don't try to lose 50 pounds and reward yourself, do it at 10. Break it down into scalable and small wins.
Another huge issue that can lead to crushing failure is not having a support system around you. If you've been struggling with your goal and you don't change the people you're around, you'll likely struggle. I've seen firsthand the immense power of having a tribe or group of like-minded people working together and it can definitely mean the difference between success and failure. Our Inner Circle is proof that working as part of a tribe helps us become better. See FDNIC.com for more on our group.

My hope is that you take some of this advice and use it to make the changes you want in your life. Don't waste another day waiting for a certain day, do it now.

So, it's almost time for New Year's resolutions and in all honesty, I'm not a fan. And it's because I don't believe in waiting for an arbitrary date to start changing your life.

I mean, if you're ready and willing to make a change, then do it now. Waiting until January 1 makes no sense to me.

But there are hundreds of millions of people who disagree with me and set resolutions so today I'm going to share why the vast majority fail and what you can do to avoid that failure.

I read a statistic that only 8% stick to their resolution all year and that's crazy to me. Why is it so low?

It's because of these reasons:

Resolutions are nothing more than goals and goals need to meet a few criteria to work. Using the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting method works well for most and most goals are set far too vague and broad. "I want to lose weight and be healthier" isn't a goal. It's a wish. Instead try "I will lose 30 pounds by March 1 by following XYZ program and cutting out all fast foods and soda".
Most people know "what" they want to accomplish, but few know "why". Having a deep emotional reason to see your resolution through is critical yet most don't take the time to find it. Just wanting to lose weight or get fit is nice, but if you don't have a deep desire to do it, it will likely fail.
Most people try to achieve their resolutions on sheer willpower. Willpower is a very finite resource and when it runs out, you're back at square one. How about having a written set plan of action instead? Not only that, take action every single day.
Many make the mistake of choosing resolutions that aren't in alignment with their beliefs, values, and actual wants. Make sure your goal is something you truly desire.
Many people also don't actually believe that they can accomplish their resolutions. For example, someone who has failed on multiple diets over the course of years and has all but given up hope of finding success will likely fail again if they set a goal that isn't realistic and believable. Meaning that if they don't think they can do it, just merely want it, then it's really just a wish. Instead, set a very small and attainable goal and reward yourself for each small victory. Don't try to lose 50 pounds and reward yourself, do it at 10. Break it down into scalable and small wins.
Another huge issue that can lead to crushing failure is not having a support system around you. If you've been struggling with your goal and you don't change the people you're around, you'll likely struggle. I've seen firsthand the immense power of having a tribe or group of like-minded people working together and it can definitely mean the difference between success and failure. Our Inner Circle is proof that working as part of a tribe helps us become better. See FDNIC.com for more on our group.

My hope is that you take some of this advice and use it to make the changes you want in your life. Don't waste another day waiting for a certain day, do it now.

Previous Episode

072 - How To Plan Your Diet and Training Around The Holidays

It's not a surprise that the hardest time of year to lose or maintain your weight is around the holidays, typically between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

But before I say anything else, please understand that there is no "right" way to eat or train around the holidays (or ever for that matter).

If your goal is to stay fit and lean over the holidays, great. If it's not and you'd rather relax and enjoy your time, great.

It's not about anything other than you choosing to spend your holidays the way you want and feeling good about your decisions.

If you find yourself feeling guilty about eating that apple pie, it's time to revisit your goals. And make sure you have a goal going into this season.

Also, keep in mind that maintaining your weight/fitness level over the holiday is progress.

Make sure your goals are in alignment with reality. If you know you’re gonna eat like a pig, drink beer all day, and sit on the couch yet your goal is to lose weight, you’re going to be disappointed and feel like a failure.

This can cause issues going into the new year and you don’t want that. Be realistic. It’s OK to drink all day, just know you’ll likely be in a calorie surplus, probably a big one.

At the end of the day, it’s about what you feel good about. If you’re good with gorging yourself, that's fine. I'm to here to judge you or to tell you that you need to eat a certain way.

If you're not happy with your motivation level, how you feel after eating all that food, or find yourself being super lazy, then you need to use a few strategies and show some restraint.

In that case, here's what I'll tell you:

Remember that it's the holidays and being with loved ones is the most important thing. Chill the F out and enjoy yourself.
It’s not all or nothing. You don't have to choose eating super clean or eating everything in sight. You can use moderation for most things.
Set a realistic goal.
You didn’t get fat overnight. One bad meal or one bad day means literally nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Get your exercise in as early as possible. Otherwise you’ll likely find an excuse or get busy stuffing turkeys, hanging lights, or planning some family thing.
There is always time to workout. Look through some of my YouTube videos. Get creative if you have to.
Going to a place you know you’ll pig out and you want to avoid it? Eat before you go.
Remind yourself that you are always 100% in control of what you put in your mouth.
Watch your alcohol intake. It's easy to overeat when drinking and you'll be taking a lot of empty calories.
Stop caring what your family thinks. If you want to bring your protein shake to dinner, do it. Most people are fat and lazy. You do you.
You don’t need to cook unhealthy crap like that weird marshmallow sweet potato stuff. Cook a healthy recipe and people might actually appreciate it.

You can either choose to stick to a plan over the holidays or not. Either way, if you're happy, that's all that really matters. It is definitely possible to lose or maintain weight over this period, it's just a matter of your priorities.

Next Episode

074 - The Pros and Cons of Taking Pre-Workout Supplements

First off, I've been taking pre-workout supplements for well over a decade and still use them almost daily now. I've had a great deal of experience using them, trying different products, and researching the ingredients and side effects and want to share my thoughts on the reasons one might take them or the reasons not to.

You must understand that this is an industry that isn't regulated. At all. It's literally the Wild West and supplement companies can put any ingredients, useful or not, into them.

And since this is a super-hot market, many companies make fortunes by selling lousy products filled with sugar, chemicals, fillers, and cheap and useless ingredients because of outrageous claims of superhuman energy and pumps and fancy labels.

And we buy them.

Pre-workouts aren't for everyone, especially those sensitive to caffeine or stimulants and those with any medical issues relating to the heart.

I've had only minor side effects personally over the years but there are plenty of common ones like headaches, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, feeling faint, and nauseousness.

If you're fit, healthy, have a good tolerance for what's in them, and fully understand the risks, then you can consider using them but I suggest only for short periods and only in order to get through a plateau.

It's easy to become dependent on them and start believing that you can't get a good workout without them. It's a place I've been and it became a mental crutch for me and it wasn't healthy.

I now cycle mine on and off about every 8 weeks or so and this helps to break up the need to overuse them. I've had days where I took 3-4 times the recommended serving because I felt like I needed more and more to get my energy up.

It's a slippery slope and once your body adapts to all the stimulants, you'll find yourself wanting to increase the amount you're using. Don't. Stick to the label and directions and make sure you're very well hydrated.

There are so many other better pre-workouts like black coffee, a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep, but it seems our society is more interested in trying to shortcut things instead of putting in the work.

I hope this episode helps you make an informed decision on whether you continue (or start) using them if you have any questions, just email me at [email protected].