First of all, Happy New Year!  2013 was exciting in so many ways for The Wooden Spoon, i.e. we launched!  But I am hoping 2014 will be even better with me finally running a marathon and improving my general health and fitness.  So I wish you all a year packed with healthy eating, fabulous fitness and rare trips off the wagon!

It really is that time of year where New Year resolutions get made and even if formal resolutions are stated we are all encouraged to be healthier, stop smoking, drinking or sort out finances.  How many adverts have you seen already for slimming clubs or smoking cessation devices?

It probably surprises few people but whilst many start their new year off with good intentions and considerable enthusiasm most resolutions fail shortly after. Experts feel that the reason for the failure of these resolutions is that most people do not back their resolution with proper planning.

So how can we avoid falling into that trap?    Our resolutions need to be SMART.

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Time-Related

 Specific – target a specific area for improvement, not a general one. I.e. I want to get fitter is pretty general.  I want to be able to swim 10 lengths continuously or finish a parkrun is specific.

Measurable – measuring towards a goal helps to see if you are on progress.  Seeing yourself lose weight, seeing the numbers go down or tracking your runs will all fit into this.

Attainable– One of my NYR or goals is to run the marathon.  That is attainable if I put the training in. But it’s not realistic, and certainly unobtainable for me to aim to run it sub 4 hours.  Well, this year, lol! Make sure your NYR or goals are realistic and attainable.

Relevant-Is your NYR relevant to you?  If it’s not why are you doing it, and will you see it through?

Time-related – by adding a time frame, it can help focus you. I.e. how many people have said they have lost weight for a wedding or aimed to give up smoking before a grandchild arrives?  And done it!  Having that date in mind can be a great motivator. And by not being specific about a time frame things can just drift.

So onto my NYR and they are:

1. Complete the London Marathon.  I am not giving myself a time goal, as it’s my first, completion is my goal.
2. Get to my target weight by October 2014.  I really want to achieve this and think that October is realistic.
3. Go sub 30 mins at parkrun.  This is a tough one.  I have a PB over 35 mins and I will be marathon training for the first four months of the year and then no doubt recovering afterwards!  And I am not a quick runner.  But I would love to achieve this and it will give my running focus post London.

So my NYR are SMART rather than just being airy fairy like my usual ones of lose weight and get fitter.  I have targets and I have plans in place to achieve them.  I am hoping that I will be writing this time next year of my success and setting further SMART ones for 2015!

I wish you all a happy, safe and prosperous 2014

All the best,

Woody