2016 New Years Resolutions

2016 New Years Resolutions

Forgive me for being the stereotypical blogger who posts these every year on the 1st January, but as I consider my blog to be a little bit of a journal, this is somewhere I can document them, albeit publicly, in the hope that I might actually achieve them, here are my 2016 New Years Resolutions. As you can see from yesterday’s post, my 2015 New Years Resolutions didn’t all go to plan, so hopefully I will do better this year!

I set myself 10 Resolutions, which lets be honest, is a little overkill, so I’m reducing the number this year, so hopefully they’re more achievable.

1. Get Back In Shape

I need to quit whining about my body and just do something about it. I’m currently the heaviest I have ever been and given that I’m only 5’2, if I don’t do something soon, I’m going to start looking tubby. I find it hard because all the lovely folk around me keep saying ‘you look great, you don’t need to change’, which is so nice, but it does nothing to help my motivation, and it also makes me feel bad for saying I’m not happy with the way I look. I know a lot of people don’t have the support I have around me, and it probably sounds awful for me to say it, but I kind of wish everyone would just support the fact that I don’t like my figure and that I want to change it.

I want to get back to a size 8. I particularly dislike my legs, so I really hope tone them up. I need to make use of the gym membership I currently pay £53 per month for, I thought joining a ‘nice’ gym would keep me motivated, but I’ve just adapted to that money going out of my account each month and not bothering to go.

2. Improve bylaurenjane

February will see my blog turn 4 years old, I think if I’d invested as much as I have in 2015 in my blog over the whole period, I’d be getting a lot more out of my blog, in that my readership would be higher. I wish I’d never taken 18 months out, as I had built up a good readership base, which I had to work twice as hard to claw back when I returned, but there is nothing I can do about it now.

I want to keep working on my photography, and as I was lucky enough to receive an Olympus Pen EPL7 for Christmas, this should definitely help. I hit my goal of 1000 followers on Instagram, and this is something I want to push. I spend a lot of time on Instagram, looking at the beautiful photography of other bloggers and feeling so inspired, I’d like to achieve some of that.

3. Save Money

When I was a kid, I used to save every penny I got, I was really good at it, as it was something my parents encouraged. In recent years I’ve not been so good at it; if I’ve wanted an £800 bag, I’ve bought it and not regretted it. I know life is for living and you can’t spend it once you’re gone, but if something bad happened, I wouldn’t have savings behind me to help.

For January in particular, I’ve decided to put myself on a spending ban. No money to be spent on clothes, accessories or products. If I run out of deodorant I’m not going to be smelly pig for the month or if I need tampons I’m going to buy them, but I’m sure you get my point!

Andrew and I have also decided to consume no alcohol for the month of January and ban fast food/takeaways. I think this will probably have a positive impact on both our bank balance and our waistlines…

So there are my three resolutions for 2016. I hope having 3 this year, as opposed to the 10 I had last year, will make them more achievable. I think I should also review them more regularly, rather than on the 31st of December!!

What are your resolutions? Do we have any the same?

Lauren xx

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8 Comments

  1. Caroline
    January 1, 2016 / 2:29 pm

    Small and basic ‘goals’ are definitely more achievable. Plus you may find that one small change and ‘achieving’ one things, leads you into another. Like, getting in shape, and building your confidence from it may improve your blog, this space, as you’ll have a clear mind and or will enjoy like outfit posting more or something.. 🙂
    I’ve not really set any real goals, to myself I have, but not publicly. Ha!
    However I do want to improve on my blog, little space. I’ve being blogging for a similar time, however only really put my all into it over the last year and I’ve really enjoyed it. So here’s to 2016. 🙂

    Happy New Year to you and all the best! Look forward to seeing you. 🙂

    Caroline.x

    • by Lauren Jane
      Author
      January 1, 2016 / 8:11 pm

      Thanks Caroline! Definitely. Last year I just set myself up to fail! I think you’re right about one leading into another. I’m going to post my fitness journey again this year and it seemed popular last year so fingers crossed!

      Definitely hope to see you at some events soon!! L xx

  2. January 1, 2016 / 10:10 pm

    Regarding your first resolution, I have to say that it definitely makes a change if you’re going to a gym that you really like or to a gym that you just signed up to because it’s cheap 🙂 I went to another gym in the second half of 2015 and ever since then I was way more motivated than before and I managed to get back into my old shape more quickly 🙂 I’ve dedicated a few articles about my weight-loss journey,so if you need some tips and ideas,just check them out here http://fashionbarbecue.com/?s=fitness

    xx
    Sammie
    http://fashionbarbecue.com/?s=fitness

    • by Lauren Jane
      Author
      January 9, 2016 / 11:13 am

      Thanks Sammie. Your articles are great thank you for linking them to me! Xx

  3. Cara
    January 9, 2016 / 11:22 am

    To help you try and stick to your first resolution, why don’t you try going to classes at the gym? Half the battle once you’re actually AT the gym is to motivate and challenge yourself, or to try new things especially if you feel a bit intimidated or embarrassed around other people. But in classes, you have the instructor there to do all of that for you, which makes it so much easier! I used to go to the gym and do exactly the same thing – 30-45 mins cardio on the bike, then maybe a few different weights machines, but I would never particularly push myself, or feel any real benefits once I’d finished. In the last 18 months, going to classes has totally transformed my fitness level, body shape and all-round well being.

    My favourite classes are Les Mills ones – Body Pump, Body Attack, Body Combat and CX Worx (you can watch “Les Mills Sizzlers” on YouTube to get an idea of what they’re like), as well as Metafit and Spinning, but I’m sure your gym will offer a good variety of similar classes if they don’t do any of these. Classes are also a good way to meet people, as well as help you get in a routine, for example, every Monday at 7pm you do a class. That’s another point – on Instagram I always see the phrase “never miss a Monday” and I think it’s a really good motto to go by. It might sound cliched but it really does set you up for the week ahead, giving you the motivation to continue on a good footing, especially if you have indulged over the weekend.

    In terms of diet, I would recommend two really good recipe books – Madeleine Shaw’s Get The Glow and The Body Coach’s Lean in 15. Honestly Healthy for Life by Natasha Corrett is good too (mostly veggie recipes), with lots of information on eating an alkaline diet, which is really interesting and something I’d otherwise never heard of. Madeleine Shaw is also really good at liking and commenting on Instagram posts of her recipes if you recreate them, which is always nice!

    Good luck with sticking to your goals, and keep up the great work with your blog!

    • by Lauren Jane
      Author
      January 10, 2016 / 10:03 pm

      I did start going to some classes but they’re on quite late at my gym, I can get there about an hour and a half before most start. I have all three of those cook books too. I just need to make use of them. I think food prep is going to be key. Thanks so much for the tips!! Lauren xx

  4. gaynor
    January 15, 2016 / 8:06 pm

    Yes rings true….I need to get back to gym which I will tomorrow…as for you
    ..lose the weight and you will feel great about you and shine all the more and convey confidence …you will do it x

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