How to: New year's resolutions

We’ve all been there, telling ourselves that this year is the year you’re finally going to do it. This is the year you’re going to make a change, only to end up on the couch with a couple of beers and some snacks thinking about what could have been. Well, dear people of Intermate, this year is the year we’re all going to do it! I’m going to comment on some common resolutions and give some tips on how to achieve them. 2022 is going to be the year of change (hopefully)!

The most common new year’s resolution is to be a fitter intermaatje by exercising more, but it’s waaaay too easy to skip a day, or two, or five. And suddenly, two weeks have passed, and you still haven’t gotten off your lazy ass once to go to the gym. You keep making up excuses like: “I had too many meetings” or “I was too hungover after a great night of Grand Prestiges and Ketel1”. So, here are three tips to get your body moving:

• Find something you enjoy, otherwise, you’ll quit anyway
• Have a clear goal in mind. Seeing yourself progress towards your goal always helps
• Find some beautiful faces to join you. There are plenty of people who want to exercise more, and it’s hard to say no if there’s someone screaming at you in front of your house. Find a gym partner or organize something bigger like the Half Intermarathon Wouter is arranging. (Send him a message if you want to join!)

The second resolution you keep hearing is eating healthier and preferably losing some weight in the process. We all want those holiday kilos to be gone and to look fit for the summer. We all try and actually cook something properly instead of always grabbing something from the Spar, but if it’s a long day on campus, you’re easily tempted. A nicely (air)fried snack after going out is of course pure bliss. Sadly, alcohol is a big problem in this regard as well, but we’re going to quietly ignore this for now :). We wouldn’t want to miss any amazing borrels! But to achieve the healthy eating part, check out these tips:

• Don’t change your entire diet all at once, moderation is key
• Try to make cooking a hobby! Not only is it cheaper, but it’s also almost always healthier than ordering something
• Go shopping with a specific list and only get what is on there. Those crisps are perfectly capable of sitting on the shelves for a little longer

Last, but definitely not least, is acquiring a new skill. Learning a new language, taking dancing lessons, or opening a beer with every object imaginable. We all have things we want to learn to continue growing as a person. Here are some final tips to finally learn that new skill:

• Schedule in a specific time to work on it, otherwise, you’ll keep postponing it
• Create some intermediate steps to show yourself (and others) that you are progressing

With these tips, you’re all set to make 2022 an absolute banger of a year!