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Feature Articles Food, Fitness, and
Holidays Secrets for Making Resolutions StickBy Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D., Former
Nutritional Sciences Specialist, |
By the end of January, most people who have made unrealistic New
Year's resolutions will have burned out. But if you know the
following secrets, those good intentions can stick forever. Good
luck!
1. Make lifestyle changes because YOU want to. Make
changes for you, not your husband, wife, mother, or sister.
2. Make small changes and chart your progress. The
single biggest mistake people make is biting off more than they
can chew--stopping smoking, losing 50 pounds in 2 weeks, and
exercising every day. It's just too much. If you smoke, then
according to the American Council on Science and Health,
stopping is the single most important change you can make--in
January, or whatever time of the year. Don't even worry about
gaining a pound or two--it's nothing compared to the health
benefits you'll gain by quitting smoking. If you want to lose
weight, focus on losing 5 pounds at a time; changing lifestyle
habits will get you to where you want to be for the long term.
And that's what counts--not how much weight you lose in 2 weeks,
but how much weight you can keep off for the rest of your life.
3. Keep a journal. It allows you to track your
progress so you can give yourself credit for the smallest
accomplishments you make -- they all add up. Journaling can also
be used to document your emotions and help you see if there are
patterns to eating--do you eat when you're angry, bored,
nervous? If so, then find alternative activities to get to the
real problems.
4. Find a buddy. Exercisers are more likely to stick
to their plans when they know someone is waiting for or
depending on them. If you prefer to exercise by yourself but
find boredom is a problem, get a headset and listen to enjoyable
music. The key to sticking with exercise is looking at it as
fun. Find activities you enjoy, vary them, and schedule them
into your calendar as you would any important appointment.
5. Practice positive self talk. So often, we don't even realize that we are giving ourselves negative messages. Catch yourself and turn those statements around. Tell yourself that you enjoy getting up a few minutes early to exercise and that you feel great and look better when you exercise. If you catch yourself saying that your legs are too fat, STOP right there. and find something positive to say instead: I have a beautiful smile, I have attractive eyes, I look good in a particular color, etc. Assume you'll be successful, and you will be.
Last update: Monday, August 07, 2006
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