We’re into the second week of January, a time where New Year’s resolutions start to be tested. But if you’re struggling to stay on track, don’t lose hope just yet.

Kayleigh Frost, Head of Clinical Services at Health Assured, says: “It’s important not to give up on resolutions, because it’s never too late or too early to make a change for the better. New habits take time to build, and it can be hard to leave old ones behind.

“Maybe you’ve skipped a day at the gym, eaten the rest of the holiday chocolate or simply couldn’t be bothered to go for a run after a long day at work and are now feeling guilty.

“Don’t beat yourself up. Everybody does it.

“Instead of throwing the whole resolution out of the window and saying you’ve failed, simply leave that one little slip behind and go into tomorrow ready to start again.”

Here are Kayleigh’s top tips to help you stay on track with your New Year’s resolutions in 2022.

Accountability

Taking responsibility helps to put you back in control. When you hold yourself accountable for your actions, it helps you achieve your goals.

A simple way to increase accountability is to tell others about your new goals, track the times where you’ve succeeded and share your journey with others.

Making changes with friends or joining groups committed to the same goal means you can help motivate each other. This helps to keep you accountable on days when you feel yourself slipping back into old routines.

Make it easy

What is the best way to increase the likelihood of you sticking to a new habit? Make life easy for yourself.

Put your trainers by the door, pack yourself a healthy lunch the night before, donate your junk food to a food bank and throw out your remaining cigarettes.

When there’s potential for us to fall back into an old habit, we often gravitate towards the easiest option. Make your easiest option the right one to give yourself the best chance of success.

Be patient

When it comes to new habits, consistency is key. It’s easy to lose sight of why you started when you don’t see results happening quickly, so be patient.

Small, sustainable changes are the best way to go.

Trying to make large changes too quickly leads to burnout and this is when old habits make a return. Adopting small manageable goals is a more sustainable way to make a long-term change.

Completing these small goals every day will give you the confidence and momentum you need to keep working towards your new future.