Tips

National Recommit to Your Resolutions

March 18, 2008 -findingDulcinea today announced “National Recommit to your Resolutions Day” which will be recognized on the first day of Spring, March 20, 2008.

Twins

Research by findingDulcinea (www.FindingDulcinea.com) reveals that, year after year, more than 2/3 of Americans abandon their New Year’s resolutions by springtime, and more than 80% fail to fulfill their resolutions by year’s end. With that in mind, Finding Dulcinea is asking Americans to recommit to their New Year’s Resolutions - now.

“People who struggle to reach their goals think they are alone,” says Bill Germanakos, who lost 164 pounds, or 49% of his body weight, to win the title of “Biggest Loser” in the 2007 season of NBC Television’s hit reality show, “but the reality is that most people struggle to make their goals happen.”

“The hardest part of any self-improvement plan is overcoming the inevitable stumbles along the way,” said Jim Germanakos, twin brother of Bill, who lost half of his initial body weight on The Biggest Loser, capturing the prize for biggest weight lost among those who had been voted off the show. “The key to success is not to give up just because you’ve had a bad week,” Jim continued, “most people, when they fail to keep their resolutions, say ‘wait till next year.’ But there are still nine months left in 2008. So get started on them, again, today!”

As part of the promotion, Bill and Jim are unveiling their Top 9 Tips for Recommitting to Your Resolutions:

1. Make your resolution an integral part of your life. If your resolution is to lose weight or get fit, make going to the gym as important as going to your job each day. Chasing your goals cannot be something you do only when the rest of your life allows.

2. Be realistic. If you set your goals too high, you are setting yourself up for failure. Set reasonable goals that you know you can achieve, but still require a bit of hard work and determination.

3. Set short-term goals along the way. In order to achieve a successful resolution, it may be easier if you segment it into smaller, short-term goals. If you want to save $6,000 over the course of the year, commit to saving $500 per month.

4. Have a detailed plan. Just saying that you want to do something doesn’t mean it will happen. Lay the groundwork to success by detailing out exactly how you will reach your goals. Will you join a gym and go 3 times a week? Will you have money directly deposited into your savings account each paycheck? Will you cut your smoking by a pack per month for 5 months? The process of planning out the details will help you identify obstacles ahead of time.

5. Reward yourself. When you reach a short-term or long-term goal, allow yourself a little indulgence. But make sure your reward is not counterintuitive to your end goal. If you are trying to save money, don’t blow your savings on the reward. If you are trying to lose weight, don’t buy yourself an ice cream cake to celebrate. Opt for something you want that helps you with your goals. For example, buy a pair of new running shoes if you goal is to run the marathon. Setting the reward ahead of time may give you incentive along your path to success.

6. Ask for support. Share your resolution with your friends and family, and let them know that you need their support. Having people around you that encourage you and keep you from slipping up may make all the difference!

7. Find a resolution buddy. Find a friend who has the same resolution as you so you have someone to lean on and share tips with. Having a buddy who shares the same goals, and obstacles, may provide a nice support system, as well as a means of kicking you back into gear when you need it most. Bill and Jim had a great advantage over the other contestants on The Biggest Loser once the competition became about succeeding at home - they had each other.

8. Visualize success. Picture yourself on the treadmill, running at 7.0 mph and not even breaking a sweat! Picture yourself buying that new home! Visualization can be a very powerful tool. Some experts suggest that the process of seeing yourself successfully achieving your goals can actually get you there faster!

9. Don’t let yourself feel defeated. Whether this is your first, third, or tenth attempt at achieving this year’s resolution, don’t let yourself get down. It is natural for us to stumble along the way when working towards a goal. Just pick yourself back up, dust yourself off, and tell yourself that this time you’re going to do it (because you’ve done Tips 1 through 8 this time!)

For more on recommitting to your New Year’s Resolutions, visit http://www.findingdulcinea.com/resolutions.html