To Your Health / Dec/Jan 2012
New Year's Resolutions
Making a New Year’s resolution is the easy part. Keeping it is another story altogether. Here are some helpful hints for making resolutions for sleep, exercise, and eating that are easy to stick with.
Try keeping a food diary. I don’t know about you, but if I have to write down “Dark Chocolate Covered Carmel” in my food diary, I’m a lot less likely to eat it. If you’re trying to lose weight, this is a sure fire way to stop you in your tracks and make you consider every morsel, or mouthful.
Try setting realistic goals. You don’t have to lose 30 pounds in month. Keep it simple - if the goal is too ambitious, you’re just going to feel badly that you didn’t reach it. Achieving a realistic goal will give you a great sense of accomplishment and give you the confidence to keep moving forward.
Try keeping a notepad and pencil on your nightstand. You’re just about to fall asleep, and then you think of something earth-shatteringly important that you have to do tomorrow. Instead of worrying about it all night and losing sleep, write it down and forget about it.
Try adding some white noise. You’re in the middle of that deep sleep you desperately need when your neighbor’s dog starts barking outside. Suddenly you are wide awake. Ever notice how easy it is to sleep during a rainstorm? The low, consistent sound masks all of the jarring ones. Put a quiet fan in your bedroom or buy some music with ambient sounds.Try picturing your end goal. If you’ve ever gotten in shape for swimsuit season or for competing in a triathlon, you know that picturing the end goal is a major motivator. Take some time every day to close your eyes and think about where you want to be. Whether it’s finishing a race or looking good in your bathing suit, putting an image in your mind will make it more tangible and more attainable.
Try joining a group. Have you ever had the best intentions for getting on the treadmill, and suddenly find yourself too busy. Committing yourself to meeting other people on a given day and time will help keep you on track. Besides, it’s a great way to meet new people and make exercise fun.
Remember to keep it simple - if the goal is too ambitious, you’re just going to feel badly that you didn’t reach it.
