New Year, New Resolutions, New Health!

It’s that time of the year again when I and many others like me make resolutions to exercise regularly, eat well, give up bad habits and do what it takes to get the look we want. But as soon as the ball drops and the party ends most of us fail to keep our promises to ourselves. Will this year be any different or as usual we will fail our own resolutions? Well, with these simple and practical tips I am sure we can stop the cycle of resolving to make changes and then not following through.
Be realistic
The surest way to fall short of your goal is to make your goal unattainable. For instance, resolving to never eat your favorite food again could be a bad choice. Strive for a goal that is attainable, such as avoiding the food more often than you do now. Don’t set your expectations too high or you are setting yourself up for failure.
Patience and Persistence will Payoff
The most common reason plans fail is impatience. As the old saying goes, 'patience is a virtue,' and these time-honored words ring true when dealing with lifestyle changes. In today’s fast-paced, high tech world people want results immediately. Start low & slow! Don’t rush into things. Let your body adjust to your new program and you are less likely to experience an injury Slowly getting into exercise regime allows muscles, tendon, ligaments and joints to start moving and stretching with a much lower risk of injury. If you jump into exercise too quickly, you can very easily strain a muscle, tendon or overstretch a ligament. Be patient! Results take place after months of dedication and discipline.
Talk about it
Don't keep your resolution a secret. Tell friends and family members who will support your resolve to change yourself for the better or improve your health. Exercise with a friend when possible as you are more likely to do things when someone else is depending on you.

Stick to it
Experts say it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and 6 months for it to become part of your personality. Do exercise at a consistent time; when you are not as likely to have scheduling conflicts; early in the morning may be better than late at night when you are tired. Do exercise that you like - if swimming is not your thing, you are unlikely to continue: find exercises or stretches that you are willing to keep up. Your new healthful habits will become second-nature in no time.

Track your progress
Keep track of each small success you make towards reaching your larger goal. Short-term goals are easier to keep, and small accomplishments will help keep you motivated. Instead of focusing on losing 30 pounds, focus on losing that first 5. Keeping a food diary or a symptom journal may help you stay on track. Many people resist that extra food because they didn’t want to write it down. Also, a journal is a record to look back at and reflect on your true eating habits.

Wellness is a way of life
Wellness is a way of thinking. Creating a life of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing requires a clear vision, a well-grooved belief system that supports that vision, and a day-to-day discipline to adjust to the many distractions in today’s world. Start the day with a focused task. Those who practice a little mindfulness in the morning have a better ability to stay focused throughout the day. A moment of deep breathing and quiet meditation can instill a sense of balance during the hectic day. Those who practice regular meditation can stop their minds from wandering much faster than those who don't. Spending time relaxing on your back, connecting to your breath, is a great way to escape and relieve stress.
Don't beat yourself up
Obsessing over the occasional slip won't help you achieve your goal. Do the best you can each day, and take each day one at a time. Many believe if they can’t exercise 4-5 days a week, 2 days a week isn’t enough to benefit. But, twice a week is 100 workouts a year. The mistakes most people make with exercise resolution’s for the New Year is basic — too much, too fast, too soon. They make a resolution that takes too much time, expect results too fast, and increase their workload too soon. This results in missed workouts, frustration and injury. According to the D.I.S.C Sports and Spine Center five tips to make a resolution become a habit are as follows:



1.Every step counts and every bite counts. More steps + fewer bites = less weight.

2.One ounce a day is 23 pounds a year. Anybody can lose one ounce a day.

3.The scale is your friend and should be used daily. It reminds you about your mission, rewards your successes & minimizes your failures (weighing daily prevents big surprise's that derail resolutions).

4.There are 21 meals a week. Make 18 of them healthy.

5.Pay attention, especially at restaurants or social gatherings where large amounts of high calorie foods are abundant.

Keep trying
Don’t lose hope if your resolution has totally run out of steam by mid-February. Start over again! There's no reason you can't make a "New Year's resolution" any time of year.
Exercise more, eat healthy, smile more, laugh more, find moments of silence and have a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful 2012.

Originally Published in Valley India Times, January 2011
Sources:
1.Tresca A, “10 Tips for Keeping New Year's Resolutions”, February, 2010
2.D.I.S.C Sports and Spine Center, “Health Tips for the New Year; Patience and Persistence will Payoff”, December, 2010

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Some more Ideas

Drink Water


If you were to add up the calories that you've probably consumed in sodas, fruit punches and alcoholic beverages at parties, you would likely be amazed. You can gulp down hundreds of calories without even realizing it if you're not careful! Instead of one of these high-calorie drinks- make it a habit to drink water and herbal teas (green, white, black) throughout the day. To sweeten teas use a natural low-glycemic sugar like stevia that will not increase your blood sugar, insulin levels or waistline.

Enjoy the Company, Not The Brownies

Many people think of holiday parties in terms of the foods that they'll get to eat (or have to avoid) instead of the real reason for the celebration—the company and conversation. If you keep yourself busy chatting with friends, you'll be less likely to invade the snack table.

Savor the holidays

Relax and enjoy your dinner with your friends and family. Most importantly, remember that the holidays are meant for enjoyment. Don't be too hard on yourself, and if you make a mistake, talk an extra long walk to work off those extra calories instead of beating yourself up over it!

References:

• Saradone Michael, “Jumpstart your holiday health”, Health and Wellness, 2010

• Waxler Adam, “Is it possible to avoid those holiday pounds”, Worldwide Health, 2010

• Texas A&M Health and Science Center, “Holiday Health/Safety Tip”, 2006

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More Tips on Holiday Health

Plan your meals:


Plan ahead and pack a small cooler with all of the nutrition you need for the day.Next, maintain consistency, eat your meals generally at the same time each day. If a holiday dinner will be delayed, eat small but nutritious, well-balanced snacks between meals to prevent sugar cravings and hormonal chaos. Snacks are mini-meals, and should be as nutritious and well-balanced as main meals – just smaller. An example might be an apple and string cheese or one-fourth cup of almonds and fruit. If you are going to an evening dinner party, call the host or hostess in advance and politely ask if you can bring a healthy main dish or dessert. For healthy desserts, substitute almond flour for white flour and xylitol or stevia for regular table sugar.

Start the day with exercise

Strive for 30 minutes of aerobic and 30 minutes of weight-training performed on alternating days, six times a week. Exercising in the morning will set your metabolic rate a bit higher and will help your body burn fat more efficiently.

Go Full

You've likely heard the grocery store trick; don't go shopping when you're hungry because you'll only end up buying more. Well, the same can work for holiday parties! Eat a lot of raw vegetables, and other healthy foods that will stick with you during the party and you'll be less tempted to binge on the bad stuff.

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Healthy Tips for Holidays

Many people fear the holidays for various reasons, but overeating, drinking too much and gaining weight are right at the top of the list for lots of people. We quickly ignore the rules of healthy eating and tell ourselves we’ll lose added weight after the holidays. But we can actually begin to lose unwanted body fat and look great for those upcoming parties if we adopt some of the tried and tested principles. Rather than giving ourselves permission to overindulge during the holiday season, based on the promise of being better after New Year's Day, we can get a jumpstart on our healthy resolutions and avoid the trappings of empty promises, disappointment and guilt.


Watch what you eat:

The holidays and food are synonymous. Turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie. Unfortunately, an entire day of feasting can result in more than just a full stomach or a case of heartburn. The best tip to avoid heartburn is to not overeat. Big, fatty meals are likely to aggravate the symptoms of heartburn and indigestion. Other foods that can be a problem during the holidays are chocolate, peppermint and spearmint. On a daily basis, eat smaller meals, avoid excess alcohol (no more than two drinks for men and one drink for women), and stay away from acidic foods like citric juices (orange, grapefruit) and tomatoes. Those with nighttime symptoms should elevate their head 4-6 inches from the bed and avoid eating and drinking within two hours of bedtime.

Just a Nibble:

To start, watch portion sizes. Do not skip your favorite foods; instead, limit your portions and stay within your allowable servings. Identifying holiday foods that contain carbohydrates can help you better manage blood sugars. Some holiday foods that can affect blood sugar levels are dressing (stuffing), rolls, sweet potatoes, corn, tamales and seasonal desserts. One way to keep the pounds down is just to enjoy a few bites of that delicious cheesecake or chocolate fudge brownie. No one says that you have to completely deprive yourself of holiday treats—just limit how much you eat!

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