How to Get Healthy in 2018 – New Year’s Resolution Success!!

According to a Harris Poll, the top 7 New Year’s Resolutions were:
1. Lose Weight
2. Improve Finances
3. Exercise
4. Get a New Job
5. Eat Healthier
6. Manage Stress Better
7. Stop Smoking

Wow! Five of the top 7 resolutions are health related ( 1,3,5,6, and 7) and I would argue that 2 and 4 are indirectly related. Managing a chronic health condition such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes can be very expensive and if we aren’t feeling well, chances are good, we won’t be very motivated to go after a new job or promotion. Clearly, improving our health is a top priority for the majority of Americans and I am going to help you with that.

So, let’s start by looking at why we can’t seem to stick to our resolutions, when clearly, there is a desire and a need to do so. According to Shape magazine, 3 of the top reasons we don’t stick to our resolutions were going it alone, unrealistic expectations, and giving up to early. If we can focus on just these 3, we will succeed.

1. Going it alone – countless studies have shown that you need to surround yourself with people who are most like the person you want to become. Having a support system and sharing information, recipes, exercises, etc. are key to making changes in our lives. Where can you find support?
a. Find friends, family, neighbors, co-workers or someone close to you who have similar goals. Go for walks together, have friendly challenges to motivate and push each other. Invite friends and family over to enjoy a healthy meal. Hold each other accountable and celebrate successes together!
b. Find a group in your local area – think of joining Weight Watchers or find a Meet-Up group in your area. Studies have shown that better meeting attendance produces better results, so make sure you make the time to attend your meetings!
c. Find a group online – there are countless online support groups.

2. Unrealistic expectations – we have become an instant gratification society. We want results and we want them now. When it comes to weight loss and behavior modification, you are going to need to be patient with yourself. Regardless of how much weight you have to lose, you are not going to lose it ALL in a week. You must set reasonable long term and short term goals and forget the word DIET. This is not a diet. It is a lifestyle change. You can still enjoy all of the same foods you currently eat, but you need to do it in moderation.
a. Plan to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week. It may not seem like much when you get on the scale each week, but I want you to think big picture. If you only lose 1-2 pound per week, how much weight will you lose by summer? Yes, that ‘s right. You will lose 25-50 pounds by summer. And you may not even have that much to lose, so you may hit your goal by spring! You only need a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day to lose 1 pound per week. Think about how you can bu
500 calories more than you consume without feeling deprived and then do it.
b. Nutrition - Don’t think for a second that you can go from a lifestyle of pizza, burgers, fast food, soda, beer, and chips to a lifestyle of salads, fish, and water ove
ight. It just isn’t going to happen. And the good news is, it doesn’t need to happen. To ensure success, you must make small gradual changes. You won’t feel deprived, the weight will come off more gradually (remember 1-2 pounds per week), and you be a much happier person! Start to think about small things you can change and every week, add one more. You may decide that you are going to swap a burger with a grilled chicken sandwich to start, or maybe make a homemade pizza with a whole wheat tortilla and reduced fat mozzarella instead of ordering Pizza Hut.
c. Exercise – Similar to diet, you are not going to jump off the couch on January 1st and go run a marathon. I know it sounds crazy and that may be an extreme example, but many people have unrealistic expectations in terms of exercise. Again, the good news is that small gradual changes are actually better for you, will lead to less injuries and are sustainable. Whatever your starting point – again, make small gradual changes. One of the best ways to do this is to simply use a pedometer or smart watch and count your steps. Set a goal to increase your steps every single day. Gradually increase your weights at the gym. Increase your pace gradually. The key here is gradual – the last thing you want is an injury to set you back.

3. Giving up too early – there are a lot of reasons why people give up on their goals. Oftentimes, we simply fear failing and so we think it is safer to not even try. We don’t want to feel like a failure and we don’t want to let others down. Sometimes the pull of our old lifestyle pulls us back to where we were. Start thinking of failure differently – we learn more from failing than we do by achieving. You are not perfect and you are going to “fail” along the way. The difference between succeeding and giving up, is how we approach failure along the way. Don’t strive for perfection. Know now that you will make mistakes and use them as learning opportunities. Whatever you don’t use mistakes as an excuse not to try or to give up.

I want to leave you with one closing thought. Before you embark on this journey, on a piece of paper, write dow “why” you want to do this. Don’t just say “I want to lose weight”. You need to be specific - “Why” do you want to lose weight? Whether it is to be around for your family, get off your medications, or be able to run with your kids on the playground, you need to write it down. Post it on the refrigerator, the panty, in your office, wherever you need it most. Keep that reason in the front of your mind at all times and remember why you are doing this. Be patient with yourself, follow these tips and you will have a very successful year.