HAPPY 2012 from the Good Life Center!
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It’s the time of year again… Time for us to put our best foot forward and say: “This year, I am going to be better!” And while we start the month with the best of intentions, by mid-February, we might as well have completely forgotten about those goals to eat more vegetables, to work out every day, and never eat another Hershey’s kiss or French fry ever again!
It’s easy to lose sight of our resolutions amidst the hustle-and-bustle of work, family and friends. These are what make up our lives from day to day but somewhere in there, after the dust settles, is you! This year, GLC wants to help you find balance in yourself. Balance in health and balance in life. The following is designed to equip you with what you need to know to make healthy resolutions that will work for you.
1. Make your resolutions as specific as possible.
Vague resolutions like "eat better" or "exercise more" are hard to quantify and, therefore, easy to fudge and, eventually, forget. Defining a specific and measurable goal will greatly improve you chance of succeeding.
Examples include: walking for a minimum of 3 miles, two times a week; eat at least 3 servings of vegetables before 3 PM each day; or, make the TV room a “no food zone.”
2. Choose a goal that is realistic but meaningful.
Never underestimate the power of small changes—especially when you stick with them!
Grandiose plans to drastically overhaul your diet on January 1st are usually doomed to failure. You'll go farther for longer by choosing a couple of small but meaningful changes that you can stick to until they've become ingrained habits.
An example of a small change includes: adding 1% milk to coffee rather than half and half. This change alone, if kept up consistently, could save nearly 10,000 calories in one year (for 2 cups of coffee with 1 Tbsp. of milk). This could equate to 3 pounds lost.
Another example is to pack your lunch at least twice per week. The average restaurant lunch totals around 900 calories. A packed lunch with a turkey & cheese sandwich on wheat, baked chips snack-bag and an apple totals around 430 calories. This calorie difference calculates to 56,000 calories saved in the year 2012 – equal to 16 pounds!
3. Keep a log – especially in the beginning.
When you are trying to change habitual patterns, it can be very enlightening and helpful to keep a log of your daily activities. If you are trying to cut down on salt, keep track of how much you take in. If you want to get into the habit of exercising regularly, log your daily mileage or calories burned. Or simply document all that you eat as a form of accountability. If you have a smart-phone, there are all kinds of apps that make this fun and easy. If you don’t, you’ll find of lots of handy tools on the web. A pad and pencil or the GLC Food and Mood Journal work great, too!
4. Stay focused on your actions, not your progress.
According to researchers at Yale University, the trick to sticking to your resolutions is to stay focused on your commitment to a certain course of action (like eating healthier, spending less, or exercising more) and pay much less attention to your results or progress toward a specific goal. Try measuring your progress by holding yourself responsible for what you have and haven't done, instead of just the results. For example, if your goal is to lose weight by exercising more, measure your progress by whether or not you actually exercised, not by the number on the scale. Focus on how far you have come and recognize that each tiny step along the way is really a BIG accomplishment because change is HARD and SLOW. Remind yourself often that good things are worth waiting for.
5. Find a support network.
A strong social support network can be critical to help you through the stress and frustrations that can develop in your efforts to change your lifestyle. They can help re-spark your motivation, keep you on track, and also serve as a reminder that you are not alone in your experiences. Life happens unexpectedly. A strong support network can provide stability and encouragement to get you through life’s little surprises while still maintaining your goals.
6. Lastly, be positive!
Pleasure in life and positive mental attitude can take a person a long way towards being healthy. No one is perfect and the occasional slip-up is inevitable. Do not compare yourself to others, instead rediscover yourself – identify the things that you like about yourself and flaunt them for all they’re worth! Confidence can make all the difference.
Here's to making 2012 your best year yet! :)
All the best,
Chloe RD & the GLC
A great concept to make your advice available to others. Good Job!
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