Only 75 percent of people maintain their New Years resolution after the first week. Making a change in your life can be extremely difficult, especially if you don’t have resources you need to succeed. This is where we can help you out. Bookmans is full of ways to make the transition smooth and help you achieve your new year goals.

new year goals

Get in Shape/Lose Weight
No resolution is more popular than the fitness focused ones. Burning more calories than you eat seems straight forward, but it can be a struggle. With fast food restaurants spending $4.6 billion on advertising every year it can be hard to seek out healthy low calorie options. That is why cooking at home is a great option. Whether you bring your own lunch to work or make dinner for the family, food from home is the easiest way to know exactly what is going into your meals. Cookbooks are full of information and recipes or try a cooking magazine. Magazines are a fun way to shop with your eyes and they often have simple recipes and interesting articles about new techniques and trends. Food magazines can help make cooking more exciting.

The best way to get active is to find something that is good for you that you enjoy doing. Bookmans Sports is full of gear, accessories and apparel that will inspire you burn those pesky calories without feeling like you are doing something you don’t want to do. Yoga, cycling, sports and hiking are all fun on their own and the fact that they get you in shape is an added bonus.

Manage Stress
Your body’s stress responses are helpful in life threatening situations but when stress is prolonged it can be more than unpleasant, it can be dangerous. It is easy to mistake stress as something locked in our mind when in fact it is a response that includes your heart, lungs, stomach and immune system. Your body’s reaction to stress over time can cause serious (but preventable) health problems. That is why it is important to identify factors in your life that cause the most stress and then figure out ways to eliminate or cope with them. It can be as simple as learning a few deep breathing exercises or trying to limit use of negative words in your thoughts like “don’t”, “can’t” or “not”. Reading for pleasure, listening to music and physical activity provide a decrease in stress levels. The easiest way to find out what works for you is to listen to the cues from your body and follow your instincts.

Save Money/Get out of Debt
Every one has their own unique set of financial burdens. You can learn about techniques that help you save more and spend less. Each of our book stores has a personal finance section with books that can help you see your situation more clearly and gain some insight on what can be done to improve it. The fact that most of these books are half price and can be purchased with trade credit doesn’t hurt. Trading in your old things for new ones can be an exciting way to shop without spending any money.

If you are hanging on to your new year resolution by a thread or if you haven’t been able to keep up with the changes you had hoped for, don’t be discouraged. You have the power to make a happier healthier life for yourself and for those around you!