Top 5 New Year’s Resolutions And How To Keep Them
Year after year, we make New Year’s Resolutions, sometimes fully intending to see them through. Other times, we just make them to keep the dream alive. But this year… this year will be different because we’re not just making New Year’s Resolutions. It’s time to step up and make a New Year’s Resolution Commitment! But, let’s keep the commitment part small.
Lose Weight and Get Fit
Losing weight and getting in better shape go hand in hand. Unfortunately, you probably have too much on your plate to trek to the gym. That’s why average people need average, manageable solutions. Things we can mix into our daily routines. Here are a few diet tricks that can help you curb calories without reorganizing your food universe.
- Breakfast: It’s all about energy and calories. Believe it or not, a bowl of ordinary cereal like Captain Crunch has only 150 calories. One bowl and coffee will give you plenty of energy to start the day.
- Lunch: Drink water a half hour before and during lunch. Start with a piece of fruit and then something that will hold you until dinner.
- Dinner: Your dinner trick is to eat a good-sized salad with a low-cal dressing before your entrée. Vegetables are low in calories and filling. Steer away from red meat. Drink water in place of other beverages. These techniques will lower your calories without making you feel like you’re starving.
- Get Fit: Get a FitBit and start counting steps. Set goals and gradual increase. Low impact aerobics are a terrific way to get into shape. Walking is an easy commitment to keep.
Get Out of Debt
The average American household carries more than $15,700 in credit card debt. Getting multiple credit card bills each month can be overwhelming. So, we’re going to keep it simple and pay them down one at a time. Pay the minimums on all except the one you want to pay down completely. Put as much as you reasonably can toward that card. Then, cut it up so that you don’t add to the balance. Once you pay off the card, move on to the next one. It was easy to get into credit card debt. It will take baby steps to get out.
Save Money
The average American family watches the weekly paycheck slip right through their fingers. Between the mortgage, health care costs, children’s clothes, groceries and car payments, there just seems to be more bills than dollars. Set up a passbook savings account at your Credit Union. Each week, put at least $20 into it. Do not get a debit card or make it easy to take cash out. Life has far too many little cash emergencies. Grow your savings in small increments. You won’t miss $20 here and there.
Volunteer
The biggest obstacle to community service is time. We’re all so busy! If you’re going to make this commitment, it needs to start small. One suggestion would be volunteering as a family for Thanksgiving.
Many local organizations provide meals for those in need. Volunteering to cook or just help out
Thanksgiving morning may give your family a wonderful sense of community on a day about thanks. In four hours, you can help others, embraced the holiday spirit and be home in time for your own family dinner. It may be a small commitment for you, but it means the world to others.
Travel More
Perhaps the single largest impediment to travel is cost. Airfare, hotels, rental cars and eating in restaurants turn a family vacation into a second mortgage. One way to reduce cost and travel more is to resurrect a great American tradition — the road trip.
- If you do the math, gas costs to many destinations runs about the same as one plane ticket.
- Plan your trip a week or two before tourist season begins or after it ends. Rooms can be booked at a significant discount.
- Bring a cooler filled with supermarket-bought food and beverages.
- Choose a relaxing destination that isn’t overly touristy. Some examples are Tybee Island in Georgia, Charleston, S.C., New Braunfels, Texas, and the Olympic Coast in Washington.
- One final tip, keep travel to one day. If travel must be two days, plan a full-day stop in the middle each way. The key to a relaxing vacation is, after all, to relax.
By keeping your commitment to New Year’s Resolutions small, you just might be able to keep them this year!
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