Tata: My Small Goals for the Year of the Rooster

Whether you love or hate, at the beginning of the year, we all unconsciously set some resolutions and goals. Sometimes we decide to 'correct our mistakes,' and other times we aim to reach new heights. New Year's resolutions always seem like a good way to solve problems. Making resolutions is easy. But sticking to them? That becomes difficult. You must focus on goals that are challenging but also meaningful and fulfilling.

My resolutions usually revolve around mileage and nutrition intake. Last year, I set my running goal at 2016 kilometers. But this year, I plan to focus on strength and flexibility training to avoid injuries. I plan to make the most out of every workout, both physically and mentally. As for nutrition, I intend to pay attention to every meal and never open the refrigerator door after dinner, with no excuses.

The first month of the new year is already more than halfway through, and are you still confused about how to plan? Let me give you some tips that are guaranteed to help you form good health habits, making you feel great and eat well, preparing you for 2018 (cough, cough, that seems a bit far off...)!

Throw away all 'quick fixes'

Words like 'diet' and 'quick fix' do us no good. Those strict and harsh quick fixes often make you suffer, feel exhausted, and become malnourished, compromising your health. There might be short-term effects, but they are unsustainable. Drinking only vegetable juice might make your calorie intake far less than what you burn, leading to weight loss, but the correct approach should be a balanced and reasonable nutrition intake. Even adding a small amount of protein to a vegetable salad would be healthier.

Write it down

Put every bit of your effort down on paper: complete a target mileage or set a new personal best. The benefit of recording is that whether you make progress or encounter problems, you can find the reasons in your logs, summarize your experiences, and do better in the future.

Personally, I have always been keen on keeping various logs and notes—mood, training, diet, weight... Reviewing them after a period is the most interesting thing. Sometimes it reminds you of how hard you worked, and sometimes you discover some amazing patterns and useful information. For example, how many kilometers I ran in these shoes, how well I performed a few days after each interval run, or what I did before each injury. You can even check your training logs to know the date of your last period...

Track your nutrition

Just like recording your training helps you see the overall plan, recording every meal and snack can also help you achieve your weight loss goals. A study of 40 people found that after stopping weight monitoring for six days, most people's weight increased. Another study found that moderate diet tracking is most beneficial for weight loss: it involves recording but not obsessing over every single detail.

I once threw away my scale after reading some motivational articles, believing that not paying attention would make me lose weight. But reality is cruel. Until I couldn't resist stepping on the scale at a friend's house—I was deeply shocked. Try to record your weight at least once a week, train three times a week, and record your diet daily. If you don't want to write it down, use some mobile apps that can help you achieve this, with even more features.

In 2017, I will probably still be the same as before, being a 'crazy' girl who loves sports, running, and life. Would you like to be friends with me?

Author: @Aquarius Tata   Editor: @Codoon People