The Secrets to Resolutions You Can Actually Keep!

Happy New Year!

Have you made a resolution? Whether or not you have, you probably know that they are notoriously hard to keep.

Resolutions are often made very loosely or spontaneously, without much thought. Sometimes we even tell ourselves we are making them "as a joke," but when we start breaking our resolutions in the first days or weeks of the new year, it can be tough to take. We are so hard on ourselves for not being able to stick to our goals. We fear we will never be able to change our bad habits or get good ones to stick. That said, the start of a new year can be a great time to start fresh.

The key to having any chance at keeping your new year's resolution is to START SMALL and BE SPECIFIC!


Start Small.
Taking on too many resolutions or even one that is just too big a challenge is a recipe for disaster. Right off the bat your chances of success are cut down. By making one small change at a time, letting it stick before moving onto the next, and taking it easy on yourself, you have a greater chance to slowly make a lifestyle change without feelings of sacrifice, frustration and shame. Start with just 1 or 2 changes and make them small and manageable. Instead of trying to make it to the gym five days a week, start by aiming for just twice a week. And don't expect this change to happen overnight. It's called a new YEAR's resolution, so give yourself the time you need to get used to the change. 

Be Specific.
Have you heard of SMART goals? SMART is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic or Relevant & Time-Sensitive. Try using this set of criteria whenever setting new goals or resolutions. Instead of saying "I want to start eating more healthfully" you could say "Within 1 month I want to be eating at least 1 piece of fruit + 1 vegetable per day, at least 4 days out of the week." In the second example, you know exactly what you have set out to do (specific), it is easy to determine when you have achieved the goal (measurable), the goal is actually possible to achieve and leaves lots of wiggle room (attainable), the goal is relevant to your desire to eat more healthfully, and there is a clear time limit for achieving the goal.  

Similarly, this article from Psychology Today, Making Change by Dr. Leslie Becker-Phelps, suggests asking yourself these questions when setting a new goal:

Is my goal or resolution realistic?
Am I giving myself enough time to attain my goal?
Do I have a well thought out plan?
Am I prepared for the effort I will have to put in?
Do I have realistic expectations for how my life will change by achieving this goal?

Use habits to your advantage.
Also in Psychology Today, Carlin Flora's "Under a Friendly Spell" describes the theory that it is the routine, cue & reward related to a habit that makes it stick. Why not then use this to your advantage to form new, better habits? In the example that Flora shares, instead of saying "I want to start exercising more" you might find yourself a workout buddy and make a plan for regular workouts together. The schedule will become your routine, the date & time will be your cue to exercise and the reward will be all the fun you have with your friend and how good you start to feel.

So, if it turns out your new year's resolution is too big, too broad or too vague, see if you can readjust your plan (and your expectations) by following these suggestions.

And if you're looking for some ideas for nutrition-related resolutions, here are some healthy changes you might want to use as the base of your small, specific goal (you'll need to fill in the "SMART" details yourself to make these goals work for you):

Fill 1/2 your plate with fruits & vegetables
Switch from whole milk or 2% to 1% or skim
Eat a rainbow of fruits & vegetables - - those colors represent disease-fighting antioxidants
Work toward eating ~30g of fiber/day (from whole grains, fruits & veg, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes)
When eating out, just pick one: bread, alcohol, appetizer or dessert
When eating out, immediately pack 1/2 your food to-go
Cook at home more often
Switch to water or unsweetened tea/coffee instead of sodas, juices, sports drinks & sweetened teas

Wishing you lots of health & happiness in 2013.

Cheers!

Diane


Image: PsychologyToday.com - Making Change

Happy New Year!

Have you made a resolution? Whether or not you have, you probably know that they are notoriously hard to keep.

Resolutions are often made very loosely or spontaneously, without much thought. Sometimes we even tell ourselves we are making them "as a joke," but when we start breaking our resolutions in the first days or weeks of the new year, it can be tough to take. We are so hard on ourselves for not being able to stick to our goals. We fear we will never be able to change our bad habits or get good ones to stick. That said, the start of a new year can be a great time to start fresh.

The key to having any chance at keeping your new year's resolution is to START SMALL and BE SPECIFIC!


Start Small.
Taking on too many resolutions or even one that is just too big a challenge is a recipe for disaster. Right off the bat your chances of success are cut down. By making one small change at a time, letting it stick before moving onto the next, and taking it easy on yourself, you have a greater chance to slowly make a lifestyle change without feelings of sacrifice, frustration and shame. Start with just 1 or 2 changes and make them small and manageable. Instead of trying to make it to the gym five days a week, start by aiming for just twice a week. And don't expect this change to happen overnight. It's called a new YEAR's resolution, so give yourself the time you need to get used to the change. 

Be Specific.
Have you heard of SMART goals? SMART is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic or Relevant & Time-Sensitive. Try using this set of criteria whenever setting new goals or resolutions. Instead of saying "I want to start eating more healthfully" you could say "Within 1 month I want to be eating at least 1 piece of fruit + 1 vegetable per day, at least 4 days out of the week." In the second example, you know exactly what you have set out to do (specific), it is easy to determine when you have achieved the goal (measurable), the goal is actually possible to achieve and leaves lots of wiggle room (attainable), the goal is relevant to your desire to eat more healthfully, and there is a clear time limit for achieving the goal.  

Similarly, this article from Psychology Today, Making Change by Dr. Leslie Becker-Phelps, suggests asking yourself these questions when setting a new goal:

Is my goal or resolution realistic?
Am I giving myself enough time to attain my goal?
Do I have a well thought out plan?
Am I prepared for the effort I will have to put in?
Do I have realistic expectations for how my life will change by achieving this goal?

Use habits to your advantage.
Also in Psychology Today, Carlin Flora's "Under a Friendly Spell" describes the theory that it is the routine, cue & reward related to a habit that makes it stick. Why not then use this to your advantage to form new, better habits? In the example that Flora shares, instead of saying "I want to start exercising more" you might find yourself a workout buddy and make a plan for regular workouts together. The schedule will become your routine, the date & time will be your cue to exercise and the reward will be all the fun you have with your friend and how good you start to feel.

So, if it turns out your new year's resolution is too big, too broad or too vague, see if you can readjust your plan (and your expectations) by following these suggestions.

And if you're looking for some ideas for nutrition-related resolutions, here are some healthy changes you might want to use as the base of your small, specific goal (you'll need to fill in the "SMART" details yourself to make these goals work for you):

Fill 1/2 your plate with fruits & vegetables
Switch from whole milk or 2% to 1% or skim
Eat a rainbow of fruits & vegetables - - those colors represent disease-fighting antioxidants
Work toward eating ~30g of fiber/day (from whole grains, fruits & veg, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes)
When eating out, just pick one: bread, alcohol, appetizer or dessert
When eating out, immediately pack 1/2 your food to-go
Cook at home more often
Switch to water or unsweetened tea/coffee instead of sodas, juices, sports drinks & sweetened teas

Wishing you lots of health & happiness in 2013.

Cheers!

Diane


Image: PsychologyToday.com - Making Change