New Year’s Resolutions that stay on people’s lists
These resolutions are quite universal, but only eight percent of people are able to tick them off their lists. Here are a few tips on how to approach these goals.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome.
Keep your New Year’s Resolutions list simple and focus on the issues that appear on your list year after year.
Set small attainable goals throughout the year, rather than overwhelming goals you’ll never reach.
Work toward the lifestyle changes you want to make, one step at a time.
Lose weight
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
To lose weight, try the reverse. Every time you eat correctly counts.
Don’t see eating something you like, that may not be healthy, as cheating. Enjoy it and let the guilt go.
Don’t play power games with yourself.
Your challenge may not have anything to do with how “weak” or “strong” willed you are. Instead, focus on why you want to lose weight and how you will feel when you have achieved your goal.
If you are struggling to lose weight, find out exactly why. If you have underlying health issues, seek medical or professional help.
Get fit
Set clear achievable goals for becoming fit. If you want to join a gym, decide on an achievable amount of times you can go. Use the staircase at work instead of the lift.
Walk instead of driving whenever and wherever it’s possible.
Start a mall walking group. Walking is the most natural form of exercise. Regular exercise increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure and even improves arthritis.
Stop smoking
As with losing weight, the power game thing is important here.
Don’t play willpower games with yourself. It is difficult to stop smoking, but focus on why you want to quit. Pros – healthy lungs, glowing skin, anti-ageing effect, saving money, etc.
Cons – smokers’ lips, ashtray mouth and breath, etc. Cut down gradually. Avoid situations that “make” you reach for that cigarette, at least initially.
Carry cigarettes with you and smoke if you really want to, but don’t inhale.
Take a good multivitamin. Notice positive results and acknowledge them.
There are many products and support services available to help you, but ultimately you have to want to stop smoking.
Drink less
While many people use the New Year as an incentive to stop drinking, most are not equipped to make such a drastic lifestyle change all at once.
It could also be dangerous to your health.
Many heavy drinkers fail to quit cold turkey, but do much better when they reduce gradually, or even learn to moderate their drinking.
If you have decided that you want to stop drinking, there is a lot of help and support available.
