Let’s Get Healthy!

It’s that Resolution time of year again! After a month of extra food indulgences, loosened adherence to diet and exercise, and increased stress-eating and social-eating, people across the globe commit to getting healthy in the New Year. Top goals tend to consistently include: eat healthier/lose weight and to exercise more.

However, an alarming number of us can’t seem to stick with our New Year’s resolutions for very long. Sure, the first week or two of January means the gyms are crowded and everyone is loading up on fresh healthy produce in the grocery store. But almost half of us tend to quit our goals before the end of January!

Want to increase your chances of being in the half that stick with their goals? Here are some tips:

Motivation

Before you start, write down why this particular change is important to you. Imagine what benefits this change will bring into your life. More confidence, more energy, ability to move and breath with ease, ability to actively play with your kids, lower your risk for diabetes, heart attacks, ease joint pain, etc. Periodically read over your motivations list (adding to it as needed) to remind yourself of why you set this goal in the first place.

Be Specific

You will be more likely to succeed if your goal is highly specific. So, instead of saying “I want to exercise more”, decide on a goal that is realistic to your circumstances, such as “I will walk briskly for at least 30 minutes first thing in the morning on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.” or “I will go to the gym immediately after work for an hour every weekday except Wednesday when I need to work late.”

Plan Ahead

Similarly, you will be more successful if you have a plan (preferably written) for success. This may mean preparing meals ahead of time so that you are less likely to just grab what is convenient. It could mean keeping a bag of gym clothes and shoes in your car so that you don’t have to come home first after work and risk convincing yourself that you are too tired to go back out to the gym.

Keep a Record

Whether you are keeping track of calories, carbs, or pounds lost, writing it down will dramatically increase your success. There are several apps you can use on your phone for this function too. We mindlessly eat without thinking and can easily over-consume if we are not keeping track. Having a record of pounds/inches lost can also stoke our motivation on days when we hit a plateau or feel like giving up. Reviewing our progress can remind us that our efforts are worth it.

Remove Temptations

It is hard to binge on our favorite junk foods if they are not in the house. Be mindful when grocery shopping about what convenience foods will support your healthy eating (pre-cut veggies, salad mixes, lean deli meats, single serving nuts or greek yogurt, etc) verses those that will sabotage your hard work.

Rewards

This can be tricky for some. Having a food treat (small dessert once a week) can be very helpful to limit feelings of deprivation if you struggle with the diet mindset. However, if a food treat leads to a 3 day binge, you will likely do better with non-food rewards. So brainstorm a list of things that you enjoy but don’t often indulge in – a massage, night out with friends, a new outfit, etc and use these as your incentives and rewards.

Recalibrate

There is a concept called “zone of proximal learning” which refers to how big a leap we can typically make from our current position towards a goal. If I am a couch potato, I am unlikely to run a marathon a month from now. That is just too big of a change to be able to sustain. If you find yourself overwhelmed with the goal being too big and far away, break it down into smaller steps. Perhaps your goal is to be a vegetarian. If forgoing all animal products turns out to be overwhelming, break in down into steps that are more achievable. You can then build on this success. Maybe start with skipping on red meat until that is not a struggle, then add other elements.

Check Your Mindset

Now, this could be an entire blog article by itself! The way we talk to ourselves has a huge impact on how we feel, and the success we achieve.

All or None Thinking – Do you feel like one slip means you have “failed” your diet? Do you see food as “good” or “bad”?

Unrealistic expectations – Do you feel that the scale should consistently drop every day?

Eating on Autopilot – Do you ever find yourself eating something out of habit? Did you realize you weren’t even that hungry for it? Are you highly suggestible based on social cues (eat because others suggest it, or the commercial on tv was quite seductive)?

Instead . . .

Instead, try to look for ways to encourage yourself for gains you make, rather than focus on how much more you have to go. Expect that there will be times of slow progress, sore muscles, and even slip ups. Ironically, if you expect this, you can plan a positive response ahead of time. Successful people are not free from relapses, but they recover from them quicker and do not let setbacks make them quit.

For example, when you hit a plateau, remind yourself “I knew there would be times of little progress on the scale. I can handle this. I have more energy, my clothes are fitting better, and I am worth the time it takes to reach my goal.”

When you have a slip-up, you might tell yourself, “Ok, that totally wasn’t worth it. Instead of waiting until Monday to get back on track, I need to make my next choice a healthy one.”

Practice Mindfulness – Learn to slow down and pay attention to cues about true hunger and fullness. You can learn to “surf the urge” of emotionally driven eating or cravings, etc.

Would like help in developing or implementing any of these ideas? Professional help can come from your family physician, local weight loss support group, or an individual therapist.

I know how stressful and demanding it can be to make changes in your life, but you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Some of the benefits of individual therapy include:

— Having a safe, confidential space to work through life’s struggles

— Speaking openly with a highly-trained professional

— Learning to be curious about oneself and become more mindful about your choices