I will lose weight
Of course, the holiday season always brings its share of excesses. Meat pies, turkey, cheeses and pâtés, fudge, etc. Meals are high in calories and we often feel obligated to try everything not to disappoint our hosts... even if we’re not hungry! Making a resolution to lose weight is a way to start the new year on a positive note, as long as it’s for the right reasons and beneficial to your health in general. To set a good example for your kids, you will reach your goal by making two other resolutions: be more active and eat better.
I will eat more healthily
After a few weeks, lack of time will be your chosen excuse not to follow your resolution. When you get home at 6 p.m. after an exhausting day at work, and the whole family is hungry, you lack inspiration and easily lose the urge to cook. If nothing has been prepared in advance, delivery food or the frozen pizza you had bought for emergencies will come to your rescue and will especially make your children happy. Eating healthily all year long is not an easy resolution to keep for parents who work outside the home and have busy schedules. Organizing your weekly menu is a great way to maintain healthy habits, and so is adding fruits and vegetables at every meal.
I will get in shape
Here you are, thinking of ways to get back into you 20 year-old shape. You’re probably wondering where you’ll find the time to do it! You can barely find an hour for yourself as it is. The general recommendation is to do 30 minutes of exercise daily, which is what you should aim to reach at one point, but 60 minutes per week (walking, swimming, skating with the kids, etc.) is better than nothing. After giving birth, we can barely fit in a shower in our crazy schedules. But as the baby starts getting into a routine, it becomes easier to plan some “me time”. Many moms said that they were able to keep their resolution by having a personal trainer at the gym. It’s harder to cancel when someone’s waiting for you! It’s not a cheap option, but since we say that it’s the best gift we can give ourselves, it’s worth giving it a try! Not to get Gwen Stefani’s abs, but simply to get some time to ourselves, be less tired and have more energy.
I will stop smoking
The smokers’ tradition resolution! Knowing that January 1st will mark the end of your relationship with nicotine, you smoked like a chimney in December? When 2016 finally comes, it could be hard to last more than a few weeks, or even days. Ask for help to keep going because it’s a great resolution for both you and your family.
I will follow a budget
Did you spend too much on Christmas gifts? Did you realize that you spend more during the year than you earn ? You’ve thus decided to follow a budget in 2016. In fact, it’s the advice all financial planners give you every year when you do your taxes. But because there are always unexpected expenses that don’t fit into your established budget, the task requires you to take notes year-round to evaluate all variables costs and set aside a specific amount to cover these bills.
I will buy my Christmas presents earlier
Here you are, on December 24th, exhausted from having done it all in a few days : buying gifts, plan and prepare menus, big clean up before your mother-in-law arrives, choosing family activities, etc. And on January 1st, you will promise yourself never to do it again! By making a list of all the people you need to buy gifts for, calculating the average amount you’ll spend on each one and dividing it into 12 months, you’ll get one less headache next year. For example, by setting aside $80 every month in a savings account specifically for Christmas expenses, you’ll have close to $1000 saved up for next Christmas’ projects and purchases. You could also plan ahead and add birthday gifts to this amount. By having the available funds, you’ll be able to take advantage of different sales during the year and buy items that will make people your loved ones happy next Christmas!
Why make resolutions?
Many people come to the conclusion that it’s useless to make resolutions since they never keep them anyway. Dropping resolutions during the year (and most often by the end of January!) is seen as a failure by many of us, which can affect our mood and self-esteem negatively. In fact, no resolution is bad in itself! What can be bad, however, are the means taken to reach our goals.
The Motherforlife.com team wishes you a very Happy New Year, and hopes that you will achieve your most cherished goals, whatever they are!
