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WW’s Tips On How To Make 2021 New Year’s Resolutions Stick

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Brits are looking to press the reset button in 2021 with 50% vowing to make healthier choices according to a survey by WW (Weight Watchers reimagined). 

It hasn’t been the best of years and a new start in 2021 is just the excuse we all need to change things, take matters into our own hands and start our wellness journey.

WW has launched its #ResolutionsRewritten campaign – inviting people to think about and share how they plan to make 2021 a really positive year and how improving their health and wellbeing is at the heart of that. 

Julia Westgarth, head of programme at WW, gives her top tips on making resolutions that last:

  • Make a firm decision – first set the intention to change your life in 2021.  Research shows that deciding to wipe the slate clean can help us feel more capable and enthusiastic about making changes. This makes it more likely that we’ll actually take steps to do so.  A reset also helps us focus on where we are going, instead of how things should be or what we wished was different. We’re especially invigorated to start fresh any time there’s an opportunity for a new beginning – like at the start of a new week, month or year.
  • Press pause – before you make any resolutions, pause and reflect on 2020. This puts you in a position of power for several reasons. First, recognising successes and challenges from the past year helps you figure out what works and what doesn’t so you can decide what to do next. It can also help you identify what’s most important. 
  • Have a vision – once you have taken stock of 2020 and decided what you want to bring forward and switch up, you can start envisioning where you want to be in a month, six months, or a year. 
  • Make a plan – once you have envisioned how you want 2021 to be, make a plan that gives you a step by step path. Set smaller goals that you will be able to act on, rather than grand plans that might feel impossible.
  • Imagine – Picture yourself living in line with the way you want your life to be. Do this at least once a day and imagine the actions that will make this a reality. For example, you might say to yourself:  “I am choosing healthier foods,  moving more, taking care of my mindset and going to sleep earlier” or  “I am reading my kids a book before bed. I am cooking dinner with my partner. I am talking to my mum on the phone every day.”
  • Do something every week –  pick one goal that you can achieve each week that takes you towards your target.  
  • Don’t rely on willpower alone – willpower is depleted over time, so plan ahead and decide how you are going to deal with any difficult situations that might test your resolve. For instance, you might plan a route home that doesn’t pass the bakery.
  • Create the right space – modify your environment because sights, sounds and smells can all affect your actions. Create spaces that make it easier for you. For example, don’t leave a biscuit tin where you can see it every day if you are trying to make healthier food choices. 
  • Make things easier –  create situations where a better choice requires less effort. For example, if you want to read before bed instead of getting wrapped up in TV, put the remote on a high shelf across the room, where you’ll need to actively decide to get up and grab it.
  • Use temptation bundling – Couple your “want to do” activities with your “must do” ones. Listening to your favourite podcast (something you love) on an evening walk (something you “must” do), reduces the amount of willpower you’ll need.

A new start in 2021 is just the excuse you need to change things and start your wellness journey. #WWResolutionsRewritten 

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