This time last year, I wrote a piece about New Year’s Resolutions, which I personally modified to the called it the 2nd of January resolution. The reasoning behind that was that if you wanted to start a new plan that you want to absolutely stick to, you many not wanna start the first day with a hangover.
A year later, here I am writing about what I learned from that experience as this is the beauty of self-experimentation.
On that post I wrote about experimenting with accountability, and how it could be used as a powerful tool to stick to resolutions. So I started a small accountability group with a handful of friends and we had weekly call to check out on each other’s progress and so that no one falls behind.
By the second week of January we were only 3, and before February it was just me and a friend who kept postponing until the whole thing fell out.
There are two things I learned here, one is that if you spend so much time designing a plan that would set you up for better productivity and results, you might want to spend just as much time carefully analyzing the elements that are going to sustain that plan.
Otherwise it would be like designing an ultra-cool house on weak foundations.
Luckily for us, there are enough tools online where you can put stakes on your goals to help you to follow through.
Long story short, self-accountability works. However, it’s really a two-edged sword. So on this post one year later, I’ll talk about what I have learned from that experience.
Choose Your Goals Carefully
The first mistake I made was setting too many goals. As the saying goes: “You Can’t Kiss All the Girls”.
Right from the start, I set myself to accomplish a goal that was not precisely something I truly desired, but rather one the lines of that would be nice to achieve but not really important to me personally.
Standing in strong contrast with the other goals that I truly cared about.
I was one goal too many, and that goal was to be in a great shape. Very abstract I know, and it’s not a bad goal to have, but my mistake is that I failed to personalize the parameters to myself.
In order to avoid being too generic, I decided to do a lot of research before picking which specific plan to follow. So I compared a lot of diets from Tim Ferris’s to Ryan Reynolds’s.
Enter Mistake Number 2:
I picked my specific diet based on effectiveness and speed while I should’ve chosen one that would suit me personally.
So I went with the Ketogenic diet - there are a lot of variations of the keto diets I know - but the one I picked came with the specific checklist of an extremely small number of food items that you’re allowed to eat in order for your body to stay in Ketosis.
The diet consists of the following: Meat, fish, eggs and some veggies. And by “Some” I mean SIX.
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Sauerkraut, Kimchee and Kale.
From that list above I only eat Kale, while other Cruciferous veggies I like -such as Arugula or Watercress- we strictly forbidden.
Non-cruciferous veggies were forbidden as well, so that meant adiós to tomatoes, potatoes, onions, carrots, peppers… And pretty much anything you can imagine.
I gave up on Kale pretty quickly because whenever there’s some food that gets sensationally propagandized by the media, I tend to be a little cautious.
Just like soy in the 1990s, high-fructose corn syrup in the 80s or sugar in the 70s.
I don’t know, call me a conspiracy theorist but I just don’t want to place too much trust on Monsanto’s dietician.
So armed with my mini-list of the “allowed” food items, I set myself a six weeks goal to stick to the diet, a time frame that I thought was just long enough to see if there are visible changes beginning to take place... And just short enough, so I can switch diets in case that one wasn’t working out for me.
I have to say, it really worked wonders. In fact after three and a half weeks I started seeing changes already.
Though I have to admit that some other important factors that may have contributed as well.
I started running everyday, going to the gym three times a week, and unless completely necessary, using only the stand up desk.
(In full disclosure, I didn’t buy a standup desk, I just went to the bookshelf tossed some books aside and voilà).
Also there was no sugar nor sugar additives of any kind, no sauces, no juices, not even fruits. Alcohol was of course forbidden too.
At first, it went pretty smooth. Before starting the diet I thought I would be spending all week fantasizing about Cheat Day (there is one day a week where you can eat or drink anything you want) but surprisingly enough, it went much easier than I thought.
Seeing the positive changes take place in my body was enough motivation for me to keep it up, plus feeling physically better every day was a reward on its own.
So at the end of the six weeks, and with the satisfaction of not only meeting my goals but feeling great physically on top of it. I was a happy man.
Now, if only I could finish this post right at this moment.
Easy Come, Easy Go
You see, there was an important piece of information I ignored before embarking on that extreme diet, which is that once you finish the diet, you can’t just go back to the way that you used to eat before. Otherwise, you’re going to gain much more weight than you started the diet with.
So a few weeks later there I was, with more extra weight than I ever had in my life.
I gotta tell you, I did not see that one coming.
And now what do we do?
At this point, the only viable option is to go back to the same diet and exercise routine until such point when I get my normal shape back, and then I'd start to transition between that extreme diet, and normal food in a slow fashion, and then eventually make my exit from the inflexible rules of unforgiving diets .
Only that sounds much easier said than done.
Here’s another thing I didn’t expect, they say that the second time is much easier than the first, but that was not my experience… At all!
The first time I was curious, I had nothing to lose, plus I was motivated to be in better shape.
The second time however I was pretty much forced to do it all over again just to go back to my normal weight. So I was pretty much in for obligation instead of ambition.
The stick instead of the carrot, and let me tell you, I am not a stick person.
The days pass and it gets only worse. After a few days, you almost start to get angry when you remember that you have to eat chicken again. You get so tired of eating the same foods over and over again that sometimes you decide to skip meals all together.
Moral of the story, there is no such thing as a ‘best plan’ there is only what’s best for you.
For me, I learned that it’s far better to just eat healthy every day and exercise regularly than to engage into some extreme goal-setting programs and try to achieve them.
Goals are great, and you feel amazing when you achieve them and succeed like a champ.
But if there’s one thing to be learned from my experience is that sometimes you need to make sure that you are really passionate about those goals you’re setting.
Otherwise you could be missing out on important and beautiful things that were right in front of you just you were too busy trying to achieve someone else’s goals because of societal expectations and other traps.
But it was a great lesson nonetheless. Sometimes you just have to follow the good ol' heart.
How about you? What’s your New Year’s Resolution?
I have given up on any "resolution", New Year's or other, more than 20 years ago.
However, in November 2016, I had suddenly decided to become vegan. After more than a year, I am pretty satisfied with this. My family has accepted it and I have been able to stick to it.
Hello from a fellow vegan!
Vegan here as well!
YES. And this guy has a vegan girlfriend, so it should be an easy process.
@budgetbucketlist Maybe ;)
Up vote for becoming a vegan. I am happy vegan for 3,5 years. It is one of the best things I introduced in my life. All the best!
That's great that you're able to stick with it since you started, the best thing is that you're satisfied with it. My girlfriend is a vegan and I don't see her going back, she's very happy like this and quite frankly, that's all that matters when you're satisfied with your choices.
Thank you for sharing! :)
Wow. Great introspection and breakdown of what went right & wrong. I like your focus on something you can personalize. Tangible goals, maybe calendared in regularly, might help also. In the end, whatever you do must be sustainable, something you can maintain over time (which is the hardest part). Happy New Year and best of success with 2018!
Yeah you're right, something that can be maintained over timed and monitored regularly. Though this one wasn't a successful resolution, it sure was an educational one for future plans that are more important and I care about more.
Happy New Years Tom!! All the best for 2018!
thanks for ones.
I want to loose 10 lbs. and feel that that is in my reach since it seems to be he same 10 lbs. that I lost last year but I do feel better 10 lbs. lighter. I manage to loose that weight rather easily by putting 2 tablespoons of chia in my oatmeal every morning. I just don't feel hungry afterwards for most of the day.
Oh that's amazing, not only because you manage to do it, but because you do so with something sustainable and healthy that you can maintain.
Thanks a lot for sharing, I may start to try that chia myself :)
My News resolution has been the same for the last three years. To read one book a year. ONE BOOK. ONE. I didn't do it the first year, second or third. I need to come up with a new plan. :) Happy 2018!
Haha or maybe I should release a super short, super fun book to help you conquer the resolution!
Happy 2018 Kat!! I wish you an amazing year!
No more than three pages... my attention span is super short! :)
You just touched the heart, and even the pride, of most of us, the New Year's Resolutions "team"... The first step to solve a problem is to admit that it exists. Yes, New Year's Resolutions fail, just like every other new habits fail, because you just start the wrong way. To much planning and titanic expectations and challenges.
I think, from experience, that what works is a little bit of "this" and a little bit of "that". I started using an app called "Fabulous", yes, I know, the name is promising. But, besides it achieving great score on the google market, it is a very well designed app the leads you to achieve some of your possible goals.
Besides that, here goes some of my new year's resolutions (that I have been working on for some days):
These goals will lead me to these major goals, arranged by priority:
Hope this works out. ;)
BTW, congrats to The Alien. Always with good and inspiring work!
This is great! 1 is better than 0, you start working out just a few minutes a day and you go from there. The same with the finance fund, you start small and then little by little it keeps adding up and you'll be happy and looking forward to increase it.
I hope to read your updates and that you document the journey, this could be very helpful to many people.
Best of luck and best wishes for 2018!
That is a really good idea! I think i'll go with it🤗
new year resolution work hard or go home :D
have a fantastic start to the new year
Lets make it the best one :D
2018 here we come
Have a fantastic 2018 as well!!
Yes, let's make it the best one :)
this is you best post sir..
wonderful post buddy rightly said goals are only good when we achieved them
Thanks buddy! I wish you an amazing 2018!
"(In full disclosure, I didn’t buy a standup desk, I just went to the bookshelf tossed some books aside and voilà)." GAH! You literally just saved me a few hundred dollars on a stand up desk! I've been going back and forth about buying one but just couldn't swallow the price. And I've got a perfectly good bookcase...Thanks for the idea, and the good message about being realistic about setting goals.
Haha glad to be of help! Yeah no need to buy one, just a book case would do. We make he best of what we can :)
Happy New Years!!
Love this, we're just finishing a post about new year's intentions... Not surprisingly since it's the time for this. We have changed "resolutions" for "intentions" as we wanted to step away from that nagging feeling of not achieving something we are likely going to still want -or intend- to do even if we fail the first time.
Particularly like what you say about choosing what's right for you, this is definitely a key factor, rather than what the world out there dictates what's good. You can never have a blanket solution for every person.
Anyway, thanks for the great post, as I say my wife and I @kensholife will be posting in the next few days a set of different areas where one can focus, giving a few example ideas and a few links from the science evidence that helps towards personal well-being and a long lasting sense of happiness. Watch this space! :)
I'll certainly watch it :) Looking forward to read it btw and curious about the science part as well!
Hi @the-alien, as promised here's our taking on the subject @kensholife: New Year's Intentions
Happy New Year 2018!
I have a similar new year resolution which consists on getting fit, in my case I need to earn more muscle and a little bit more weight.
I hope I can acomplish it, I think I just need a little bit of self disciplined in that aspect.
I think if it's important to you, you will accomplish it. Regardless of how many resolutions failed before you.
If you care enough, and have some discipline I'm sure you'll succeed.
Plus, your name handle says it all ;)
Great post !
well coming back to the point
seems like i need to start reading more book :) that may be the resolution of the next year
Oh do you have any book in mind already?
when i start dieting i feel like i could blew away with wind and my mom just feed me the food like hell
Hahaha In this case, I wish you a lot of tasty food for 2018! :)
Thanks for tips my alien friend
Here is my new year resolution..
Oh that sounds like a great selection of good choices :)
This is for everyone... actually these are habits everyone should develop ...what do you think?
Very nice!
Keto is a fickle mistress... I’m not overweight, but wanted to look better and ran with the whole keto thing for four months. I did lose weight, but shocked my body so badly I forced my hair into the shedding phase. Basically I look good... except my hair. Lessons are learned in the strangest places because I’d definitely rather be a bit pudgy with lots of pretty hair lol. Make small achievable goals, be better next week than you are today.. incremental success! Cheers :)
Yeah I'm totally with you there, make small achievable goals, take it one week at a time.. And it could be all you need to fulfill those goals :)
Happy new year!!
new year resolution i don't think i follow i only follow one trend eat sleep repeat lolz
Haha that's a the cycle of life :) You can't go wrong with that.
will only chose them which i think i am capable of achieving ..wishing you a happy new year
Wishing you a happy new year too @cityslicker! Hope this 2018 brings you a lot of great things :)
workout and me have nothing in common hahah
Haha! Have a happy 2018 btw!! :)
A true thing what i have noticed is that 95% of new year resolution fail. Personally my all the new year resolution failed. So i either start a resolution in end of Jan or in the starting of DEC.
Haha that's actually a good idea, push it a few weeks before or after :P
Thank you for sharing about your struggles and resolutions dear @the-alien... no doubt a lot of work experiences needs to achieve the resolutions and goals and I have also learned many things from the past.
My New Year's resolution ideas to fill my life and others life with love, success, adventures, and happiness...
Happy new year to all steemians
I hope your resolution comes to fruition as that your life is filled with all these awesome things.
Happy New Year!
My new year's resolution is to start following though with my new year's resolution.
Haha! That's a good one :)
@the-alien this post made me laugh so hard! i am a new user on steemit hoping to see more of this quality content go round ,,congratulations on this post and make sure to go over to my blog and check that out;)happy new year
yeah you right dear god bless you
Thank you very much!
I agree, finding a resolution for the coming year is necessary. We must have a plan for the future. No plan. Simply with a simple plan but done in earnest. Happy reading your article, and I am excited to prepare for the 2018 resolution later.
Happy 2018 as well!!
Thanks for your input and I wish you a fantastic year!
I try not to write myself resolutions anymore, instead I write mottos to carry me through the year. Less specific, but they give me a core to focus on. Last year's worked fairly well, so I plan on doing it again this year. I tend not to craft them until a week or two into the year- as I take some time to figure out what I really want to focus on and how I want to approach it.
Whatever works for you that's the best I think. Don't make my mistake like when I picked a generic goal that wasn't for me :P
All the best! :)
Definitely! It works for me to have an overarching theme, but it also makes it less of a failure if I don't achieve something immediately, instead I look for more ways to support the theme.
Have a great 2018!
funny his picture yes, I like his post.
Haha thanks!
Yes, you are welcome
Here’s why New Year’s resolutions fail:They’re unspecific.They’re unrealistic.They’re based on willpower, not systems.
Believing that everything is possible is the first step to success. My favorite phrase is (if you are passionate, you will achieve it)
Thank you for sharing this great post @the-alien
Passion drive you forward that's for sure! Thank you and happy new years!!
You had me at the "beauty of self-experimentation" @the-alien and my trials and outcomes seem to match yours. After making several severe (and, as it turns out, unrealistic) resolutions, I've decided to scale down.
Similarly, instead of grand proclamations made at the beginning of the year and broken shortly after, with mounting guilt and sense of despair, I trick myself into making smaller sacrifices and commitments, day to day.
The hope is, one day, I will also trick myself into taking a great leap to become the person I, ideally, wish to be - and, at that point, it will no longer require a big leap - as I've been inching towards it, for a lifetime.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act, but a habit.”
-Aristotle
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act, but a habit.”
-Aristotle
Couldn't agree more. Consistency. That's the key.
vote ....thanks.
Thanks!
Great post there bro!
I like how you say 2nd January resolution! haha
Resteem and Upvoted..:)
Haha thanks man!
thanks for this motivation .. Alien
Thank you! Happy New Year!
Good post💛👌
Upvote you
Thank you!
Love this! "Moral of the story, there is no such thing as a ‘best plan’ there is only what’s best for you." Happy New Year to you as well. I just did a post on creating Vision Boards - I love people spreading light! https://steemit.com/life/@nocodinggenius/how-to-make-a-vision-board-happy-new-year-2018
thanks
Thank you!
The hard part is taking the energy to start and keep it going
Yeah exactly. Keeping it up is where the struggle is.
funny pictures
Haha thanks!
so last year when i made alist of new year resolution .
first one was you knowthat i willdoo hard work and i will gat my self up and i faid and i also try to learn driving i faild ... thats all few more but they are little secrts kind of you know but still good
Hope you can try again and succeed this time. Or even in other goals.
All the best man!
Happy new years!
New year resolutions don't work out because it takes a long time and you loose track when new things come up.... New month plans are better
My opinion tho
That's an interesting question, I agree with you in a sense that shorter plans are better. I also did a 6 weeks goals (even though called a year's resolution).
I guess it depends on the plans and the projects.
Thanks for sharing and have a happy New Years!
I resolve to write out my goals daily. I have discovered that I am way more productive when I write everything down I want to accomplish and check things off as I complete them. I would love to get up every morning and do this. I have lots of goals, exercise, read ect. I think this is the avenue for accountability I need.
Oh thats sounds awesome. I never tried it myself but I know that many top-achievers do that everyday. I think it was team Ferriss who found out that when studying the habits of people who achieve their goals, that many of them use journalist as a tool.
Let me know if you decide to do it, I wanna read about it in case you want to write about your experience doing so :)
Happy New Years!
To draw a sustenance till it becomes a habit and get embedded into your subconscious , one must first contemplate and find solid self motivating reason, as to why he or she wants to accomplish it. Rest everything falls into place.
Yeah exactly, otherwise you end up like me where you have to spend months working on it to realize that motivation comes from things we really want to achieve.
it's really hard to co pup but when you do its really fun :)
Haha!
resolution is as hard as it sounds only genius make them ;)
;)
wonderful sir greatly explained the phenomenon of how we should look at things i will try to do something this time happy new year too :)
Thank you! Happy New Year to you as well!
Great post there, keep up good work !
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I really prefer new month resolutions instead of new year resolution and also I prefer new year resolution instead of new year resolutions
You can check out my last post on new year resolution
https://steemit.com/life/@mittymartz/new-year-resolutions-91aca4497e706
About a year ago I had a revelation about how to make better resolutions. Most people tell us to set SMART goals, but when we put too much pressure on ourselves to change or stop something, it's too easy to slide back into old habits.
So, the revelation: focus on how you want to feel instead of the thing you want to achieve. For me, it was thinking about how I wanted to feel endlessly energetic—vitality is my word. It seemed hokey pokey, but it worked! Instead of focusing on losing 10 pounds, going on a diet, hating every moment of it...I just decided this isn't how I want to feel anymore and I started to replace bad habits with good habits over time.
I just spent the past week hardly exercising, eating crap, drinking too much alcohol and coffee, but I actually don't feel bad about it because I trust myself to get back to normal after NYE. It's a weird paradigm shift. Maybe I'll write a full post about this...
Wow great advice and very important ones. Thanks wish you a very beautiful time ahead my friend.
Cool post. An hour ago I've posted my introduction post where I also write about NYRs in general and if they work. I believe in habits not in resolutions. Especially in core, fundamental habits. Wish you all the best in 2018!