New Year’s Resolutions – 2017

The New Year is here! Since the arrival of 2017, and each new year, is considered to be synonymous with a fresh start, right about now we tend to be reevaluating the past year and moving forward with the resolutions that are intended to transform our lives for the better. This, of course, could be any number of things, from a bevy of different health-related goals to home buying/selling/improvement endeavors to pursuing a higher level of education, professional advancement or a new hobby, and even the little things that can make a big difference, like cursing less or volunteering more.

If you have yet to make any vows for the coming year, it’s not too late to get the ball rolling, and if you already have a goal in mind, you’ll probably need concrete plan moving forward. We’ve got you covered, either way, all thanks to our local experts who are experienced in coming alongside their clients to help accomplish those New Year’s resolutions they’ve set for themselves.

Without fail, when January rolls around, you can always tell that New Year’s resolutions are in full effect as every fitness facility in the area is full to capacity. It’s the place to be…for what seems like every single person in the Lincoln area. But, sadly, it doesn’t last much past the first couple months of the year for the majority of those folks. Hitting the gym is great and all, but whether your goal is to lose weight, strength train, combat a specific health condition, or to lead a healthier, more active and well-rounded lifestyle in general, it’s never going to be the only key player in the game if you want to win long-term (aka actually achieve the resolution you’ve set for yourself).

The secret to good health is balance, and no goal in this area can be achieved without it. Nutrition, exercise, sleep habits, stress levels, eliminating vices, preventative healthcare visits and screening—these all work together. Finding your ideal balance is no doubt a work in progress thanks to all of these contributing factors and more that we haven’t mentioned, but well worth putting forth the effort to do so. Routine is also critical, as are dedication and perseverance.

Let’s begin with what we put into our bodies. You might resolve to eat more fruits and vegetables, to eat organic, to eliminate fast food or restrict your intake of sugar or salt, to only consume foods with ingredients you know or with high nutrient content, or the popular one, sticking to a diet that supports weight loss goals. Whether adding or subtracting, you’ll want to ensure you’re fueling your body with what it needs to produce the results you desire. After this piece is in place, you can then focus on adding more to the mix, working gradually towards achieving optimal health and wellness. It’s indeed a marathon, not a sprint. Nutrition is the cornerstone that must first be addressed in order for everything else to come alongside and be most effective.

“Eat Fit Go can help provide nutritional support for those looking to become healthier,” says Natasha Plooster, President of Eat Fit Go Lincoln. “No matter what the specific goal may be, everything starts with good nutrition. If you are trying to reduce stress, sleep better, stay focused at work, or lose weight – it all starts with the fuel you are providing your body. Whole ingredients that are high in protein and low in sugar will free up the body’s systems, allowing them to perform at peak levels.

Not only does Eat Fit Go use the healthiest ingredients, but with over 36 different menu options, you won’t get bored. All too often people set goals and, for convenience, eat the same thing over and over. Ultimately this causes people to lose motivation and go back to their old habits. We have different options for every single meal of the week. Not only that but eating our meals will teach you the proper portion sizes that you should be eating and the macros (nutritional information) will be right on the label so you know exactly what you are eating. By providing quick and easy options, all of which are as tasty as they are healthy, we’re here to help our customers stay on track.

By far the most important part of setting goals and following through with them is not giving up when you have setbacks. Setbacks are going to happen in every aspect of life – just try to power through them! If you have 3 great days in a row, then experience a setback, next week make it your goal to have 4 great days in a row. Keep building on your past successes and don’t worry about getting off track every now and then, just as long as you keep going! After all, health is a lifelong process and Eat Fit Go is here for you every step of the way.”

Matt Skibicki, owner of Teriyaki Madness Lincoln, also weighs in on the importance of good nutrition and the impact it has on optimal health and wellness. “Every single thing that a person wants to accomplish with respect to health-related goals has to start with what they eat. You cannot go to the gym 3 hours a day and eat fast food but still expect change. It doesn’t work like that. Food, training, and supplementation all work synergistically together.

The saying goes that 90% of change in your body will be from food. The other 10% is divided into 5% that will come from training and 5% from supplements.

Proper nutrition, combined with fitness and a healthy lifestyle, positively impacts a person’s life by way of stress relief, increased confidence, and sustained motivation. It gives us the clarity and energy to tackle everything. The synergy of these creates positive energy which has the potential to truly transform everything about a person’s life. Attitude and outlook help us achieve the goals we set for ourselves – never doubt the power of positivity.

All of the meal options at Teriyaki Madness contain the proper nutrition for a person seeking a more positive way of life. We can help a person lose weight or gain lean muscle. You’ll leave here feeling good about what you just ate versus being guilt-ridden about all of the unhealthy calories and junk you’d consume at a fast food joint. I keep saying how the food is healthy here, but I definitely don’t want to forget to mention the taste either. That’s important too and doesn’t have to be sacrificed! Most healthy food gets a bad rap for being bland and lacking flavor, but here you can grab a healthy meal on-the-go that tastes great. It’s like a cheat meal that is actually good for you!

Since opening, we’ve been welcomed into the fitness community and have formed partnerships with local businesses that have the same mindset and objectives. We all want to help our clients get healthy and stay that way. We have customers who work at gyms here in Lincoln that will order meals and have us split them up so they’ll have everything prepped for the day. I’ve also personally talked to many customers who have identified that our meals are both healthy and delicious and come to Teriyaki Madness from all across town specifically for that reason. It’s exciting to hear everyone’s success stories and to see the changes firsthand, knowing that we played a part in helping them be the very best version of themselves.

I could go on and on, but I’ll leave it at this – the benefits of eating healthy are priceless. You cannot buy happiness, but if you treat your body good, which includes proper nutrition, you will, in turn, feel better, which breeds positive feelings, energy, and motivation amongst many other beneficial things!”

Speaking of supplements, which were just briefly mentioned, there are truly a lot of amazing products on the market right now. Utilized to help meet the whole of your body’s nutrition needs, it’s well worth exploring if you’re working towards health-related resolutions in the coming year. Locally, you can find all of the top brands and the latest cutting-edge nutritional supplements at Nutrishop. You can’t beat their unparalleled customer service and low price guarantee either!

“Our store specializes in nutritional supplements for weight loss, sports nutrition health, strength and muscle gain as well as general health,” says Leonard Browne, owner of the Lincoln Nutrishop. “Education about all of the options available is a big part of what we offer here at Nutrishop; our trained staff spends quality time with each customer to ensure what they recommend will provide optimal results. Our goal is to assist and motivate each and every customer so they are able to meet and many times exceed their fitness goals.”

In addition to nutrition and supplements, fitness is yet another key piece of the puzzle, and there are plenty of options to choose from here too.

Andrea Krull, Personal Trainer/Membership Consultant at Lincoln Racquet Club, explains, “Fitness comes down to good old-fashioned hard work and eating the right things depending on your goals. The key is to:

1. Follow the correct workout schedule that’s in line with what you are setting out to accomplish
2. Fuel your body accordingly. A college male trying to build muscle will have a much different workout plan and nutrition plan than a mother of four whose goal is to lose weight.

The Lincoln Racquet Club is the ideal place for anyone to start and continue his or her fitness journey. With so many classes at different levels of intensity, we’re able to match whatever level you are currently at and from there, the sky is the limit. This not only allows you to explore your options but to find what works best for YOU. If you love the exercises you are doing, you’re more likely to continue showing up and doing them.

I’ve found that the biggest reason why people give up on their New Year’s resolutions is frustration and being overwhelmed with the task at hand. My advice is that SMART goal setting – having a goal that is: (S)pecific, (M)easurable, (A)greed Upon, (R)ealistic, and (T)ime-Based – is the key to success. Another tip is accountability. If you have someone who is holding you accountable to work out, your success rate increases. Our personal trainers and classes will provide that accountability to help you reach your goal.

The benefits of living a healthy lifestyle are endless. You’re not only bettering yourself by looking better and feeling better, but you’re doing your body a huge favor in general. It’s your body. It deserves the best. If you’ve tried New Year’s Resolutions before and have been unsuccessful, let 2017 be the year for you. Our main goal and passion at the Lincoln Racquet Club is to help you be the best form of yourself. If you know what it feels like to quit, why not see what if feels like if you don’t?”

Having someone to guide you and hold you accountable is a good idea, particularly because it’s easy to give up without extrinsic motivation. Professionals in this industry, as with any other, are educated, trained, certified, experienced, and on the pulse of what’s new and what works – all things that the average person is not. While there is plenty of information out there, putting it into practice in the right way is best left up to someone who knows what they’re talking about and has a proven track record of success with others who were in the same position.

“Capital City Fitness will help take you from where you are to where you want to be with regards to your fitness goals,” says Mike Bevard, Personal Trainer and owner of Capital City Fitness & Performance / TFW-Lincoln. “Our mission is simple: To help you build muscle, burn fat, and feel good about yourself. We believe in making fitness and nutrition easy to understand for each person and cutting through the confusion and complication that is often seen in the fitness industry today. Not only will you be in better shape by joining our program, with our unmatched motivation and personal development component you get with each training session, you’ll become an even better person.

With goal setting in mind, something powerful that we do at Capital City Fitness is our end of the year ‘Promises’ workout where our students train and plan their goals for the upcoming year all in the same session. You can do this too by making yourself a comprehensive written list of 20 or more powerful promises to fulfill within the new year. I recommend that you split your promises for the year down into three specific areas: Physical, Spiritual/Well-Being, and Financial. When drawing up your list, attempt to make the promises both specific and as realistic as possible. The promises should be something that you can attain with hard work and the specificity will give you something exact for which to strive.

(Note that I am calling these promises, not goals or resolutions. People often make resolutions and goals and then do not stick to them or see them through. These are no longer strong enough words. Goals and resolutions are often quickly forgotten, but a promise to oneself is meant to be kept!)

Once your list is completed, make a few copies of the list and hang them prominently in a few places that you will see every day. You should also cross off each promise once it is attained in 2017 or keep a running list of your totals so that at year’s end you can see how many promises you kept to yourself.”

He also notes, “One big mistake people often make when setting goals for the New Year is not clearly defining their mission and purpose in life. Your purpose is your fundamental reason that you exist. The most successful people in the world had this sense of purpose or their ‘calling.’ What is your mission? What is your crusade, the big change you’re trying to create in the world to help others? These are tough questions but if you don’t know who you are and where you’re going, you cannot create meaningful goals. To help figure out your mission and purpose, here are some questions to ask yourself: What did you want to be when you grew up? What is your dream now? What places do you want to go? What things do you want to learn and do? Be a dreamer and DREAM BIG!”

As with anything that has to do with one’s health and wellbeing, it’s important to make sure that whatever you’re setting out to do, you’re doing it safely. When it comes to dieting and workout regimens, there are a lot of programs on the market that aren’t recommended for those with certain health conditions or that are just flat out not healthy ways to go about getting the results you want and then maintaining them.

As a medically-guided facility, Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers is a great example of a resource that takes all critical factors that influence success into account. All offerings are proven to be safe, fast and effective while also being affordable, which is a bonus.

“Our programs are closely monitored by a physician, beginning with a thorough physical exam and supported by the expert guidance of a registered nurse and the friendly, professional counselors on staff. These are all people who not only want to get you to your desired weight but want you to do it in a healthy way and keep it off,” says Nancy Hopkins, General Manager of the Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers Lincoln location.

The two key offerings provided by Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers are Weight Loss Programs and LipoGenics:

Weight Loss Programs: Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers offers clients a variety of custom weight loss programs that are designed with different goals in mind and can also be further tailored to fit any lifestyle. All have nutrition systems as a key component, which have been put together by a licensed dietician. Each diet is planned to provide the proper amount of protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals that your body need specific to each diet system. You can conveniently pick up meals, snacks and shakes at the Lincoln Center, shop with a grocery list that’s already compiled for you, or mix it up as you like within the guidelines of your program. From specialized nutritional protein supplements designed to protect important lean muscle mass while you lose weight to the exclusive, highly specialized food menus that maximize weight loss and ensure that all essential nutrition needs are being met, you’ll have exactly what you need to help get you the healthiest, best-looking body ever.

LipoGenics: Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers offers a revolutionary new method for eliminating unwanted fat stores from the body, which can be a stand-alone service or paired with any of the PWLC programs for optimal results. Unlike traditional liposuction techniques, which require the use of small incisions and invasive suction procedures, laser liposuction stimulates the body’s natural fat burning mechanisms to eliminate unwanted adipose tissue via the lymphatic system. As such, there have been no negative side effects associated with LipoGenics procedures. There’s no recovery time needed, no pain involved, no scarring and the entire process only takes 30 minutes per treatment while providing both instant and long-term results.

Hopkins adds, “Over 30 years of development have gone into perfecting the programs offered by Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers across the country, so you can be sure that if you follow the program, you’ll get the results. In fact, it’s guaranteed! If you follow the plan and all recommendations made by the physician-supervised team of professional counselors, we guarantee you’ll lose a minimum of 2lbs a week until you reach your ultimate goal, but many of our clients lose more. Let our expert counselors match you up with the program that will work best for you and you’ll be well on your way to dominating your goals for 2017!”

Although nutrition and fitness seem to be the most popular health-related goals, you might just resolve to be more proactive about your health or healthcare plan. This could include scheduling that check-up that’s long overdue because you’ve been putting it off for ages, or something like screening for breast or prostate cancer for early detection. You might take advantage of insurance benefits that you’ve never explored or invest in better coverage, or even just add something on a regular basis that will improve your quality of life, such as a massage, spa treatment, holistic treatments, or chiropractic care.

Regarding the final item listed, chiropractic care, Dr. Tara Mohl, Chiropractor at Green Chiropractic, offers the following guidance:

“Our health is the greatest gift we’re given, yet unfortunately is the one we take most for granted. Typically we delay taking action to improve until something major happens. Did you know that adding one or two positives to improve your health directly ties to success in every aspect of your life? That makes setting health-related goals the most valuable and impactful of all a person can make. All you need to do is take the first step!

Start at the Beginning – Know Your Spine

The nervous system is the foundation of all body functions.  When the spine is misaligned, interference occurs in messaging from the brain to the body and body to brain – critical messages that coordinate cell, tissue and organ functions.  Evaluating the status of the spine today is the critical first step toward creating a plan specific to YOU with clear and actionable goals to target issues that now prevent you from being and achieving your best!

Choose Wisely – Get the Most Out of Your Time

Time is a limited resource we never have enough of. Select supports for your life that utilize your time well and create the best outcomes by picking those rich in:

Expertise: Green Chiropractic’s doctors are experts in the most researched posture correction techniques available. Scheduling a visit with them can result in a plan and process specific to you to return your spine as close as possible to its true alignment – more than a band-aid approach, it’s a long term fix.

Resources for individuals of any age: From infants to the elderly, our office can care for each individual’s unique needs freeing families from the burden of multiple appointments at multiple locations.

Ongoing learning opportunities: At Green Chiropractic, we offer complimentary learning opportunities to our patients packed with additional information and ideas to use every day, allowing them to make simple changes that result in habits that increase fullness of function for life.

As with all health-related goals, be realistic and remember there isn’t a quick fix. Each step you take will transform action into lifestyle – the ultimate success! Shifting our focus to overall health, allowing ourselves a craving that may not be best now and again, but adding a positive or two periodically over time, will create balance, giving our body the good things it needs to perform the way it was intended. Better spine, better life!”

Moving on to other goals in the broader sense, as far as categories go, a big one that’s also pretty common has to do with the place we call home. New Year’s resolutions in this area might include first-time home ownership, upgrading or downsizing, or tackling home improvement projects.

One thing in particular that delivers the best of both worlds, addressing both health goals and home goals, is actually something that’s also commonly overlooked – think water.

Many of us have heard of the gallon challenge before. Or, at the very least, they are aware of the recommended daily intake of water to be at their healthiest.

“The cleaner the water you drink, the better,” advises Eric Schnakenberg, Director of Business Development for Aqua Systems of Nebraska. “Staying hydrated is critical to staying healthy, as it is what allows your body to function properly, so you want to make sure you’re drinking enough water every day. If you aren’t now, that’s a great resolution to set for the coming year. You’ll be putting a lot of H2O in your body. The quality of that water matters.

As most of us spend the majority of our time at home and work, you’ll ideally want to have access to clean drinking water at both locations. Our systems make great additions to the home or workplace. They’re easy to install, require very minimal to no maintenance, and are very affordable. In fact, many of our commercial clients, as employers who see the benefits of a healthy workforce, have added purified water as a part of their wellness programs and offerings. Workplaces with wellness offerings have become much more attractive to current and potential employees. Something as simple as a water filtration system, or even an ice dispenser, can make a much bigger impact on your organization, improving retention as well as recruiting efforts as these are the types of things that are helping to attract the best and brightest employees. Hydration is only one piece of health, so past that, focus on making the best choices possible because everything works together.

Speaking of which, our main focus here at Aqua Systems is water quality. Not just for consumption, but working water as well. If part of your resolution for your home has to do with purchasing new appliances, and more specifically ones that use water, you’ll also want to look into investing in a water softener, which will actually provide a return too. A water softener will prevent the buildup of hard water in your appliances, which shortens their life expectancy. It not only protects them, keeping them functioning optimally and ensuring longevity but also cuts down on the amount of soap or detergent used. As yet another popular new year’s resolution is financially-related, whether it’s sticking to a budget or putting more money away in savings and so on, if you’re resolving to be smarter with your spending, you’ll be nailing that one too.

All things considered, no matter the resolution, keep in mind that what gets measured gets managed. Don’t just set goals and hope for the best. Measuring your progress is an important part of the process. Stay focused and track your results so that you can really take pride in your accomplishments, and not just when you look back on everything at the end of the journey.”

Back to real estate goals in general, Nic Fett of Real Estate Avenues: The Brokerage offers the following advice:

“Resolutions come in all shapes and sizes, and each has their own motivating factors. Setting a New Year’s resolution can be a fantastic way to implement the changes you wish to make in your life, which might very well include goals pertaining to real estate.

No matter where you are in the homeowner cycle, there are always things on your “To-Do List.” Whether it be a DIY project, getting your home ready to sell, or positioning yourself to buy your first home, find a Realtor that will be there for you before you need them.

Your Realtor should be there to help you with any matter involving a home. Their job should not begin with house hunting, nor should it end with closing. An experienced agent will be there to help you find a great contractor or advise you on which renovations might have the most “bang for your buck” in terms of resale. If you’re planning to buy a home in the coming year, your Realtor should be helping you to get into the best possible position to purchase. If you are planning to sell your current home, your agent will be able to give you tips and advice to get your home “Market Ready” in order to sell your home at the best price possible.

Your Realtor can also help you position yourself to make it easier to become financially stable by creating a “Comparative Market Analysis” (CMA). A CMA can help you to make an informed decision based on comparable properties, in terms of both condition, and market value. This can be an invaluable tool when you are getting ready to sell your current home, buy a new home, or deciding if it makes sense to do a renovation.

All things considered, the difference between setting a New Year’s resolution and achieving it lies within the structure of how you set it up. If you simply tell yourself that you want to buy a home this year and proceed to the next thought, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Do yourself a favor and give yourself a chance to succeed, you’ll be happy you did!

Set your goals and make them lofty, yet still within reach. Write your goals down somewhere, anywhere, and place it where you can see it throughout the year. Don’t let it get buried, and don’t ignore it! Then, make a plan. Write down everything you need to think about to reach your goal. This can include

• Motivating factors – Why are you doing this?
• Skills and Training – What skills do you have, and what do you need to learn?
• Experience – What additional experience do you need? (This is where your Realtor can be most effective.)
• Budget – How much will this cost?
• Logistics – What adjustments are you going to make in your day to day life?
• Time Frame – Length of time in which you plan to reach your goal?

After you have written your plan, share it with your closest family members or friends. This will help with accountability and allow others to help you succeed. Real estate goals often affect more than just you, so make it a team effort! Also, set “benchmarks” for your goals and review them on a monthly or quarterly basis. It feels great to cross them off the list, knowing you’re one step closer to your goal!

Achieving your New Year’s Real Estate Resolution is easier than you think. Reaching these goals can create a lasting impact on your financial future, so get in touch with your Realtor. If you don’t have one, now is a great time to find one. At the end of the day, your Realtor is there to help, leverage their knowledge in order to reach your goals. If you have further questions or would like to discuss other ways I can assist you, give me a call at (402) 326-5632 or email me at Nic.Fett@REAtheBrokerage.com.”

You might also set your sights on self-improvement or personal growth, whether that entails furthering your education, changing career paths, taking on a new hobby or project at your job, trying out lessons or activities—there are so many possibilities! If it’s simply becoming more involved in the local arts community we are fortunate to have here in Lincoln sounds like a meaningful resolution that you’d like to adopt, this might include attending an event, like the First Friday Art Walk, regularly or taking in more live performances, especially because we are lucky enough to have the Lied Center for Performing Arts bring a diverse line-up of wonderful shows to Lincoln each season. Highlights coming in 2017 include a Broadway production of Cinderella (Jan. 27-29), Dick Cavett & Paula Poundstone (Feb. 18) and the Boston Pops Orchestra (Mar. 26). You’ll never go wrong with more exposure to culture, locally and beyond. You’ll never go wrong with more exposure to culture, locally and beyond.

No matter what it is that you set out to do in the coming year, we wish you all success in your endeavors. However, if you’re working with the local experts, you won’t need to wish because you’ll be busy making it happen! Regardless, good luck and may you be at your very best in 2017!