Succeed at Health-Related New Years' Resolutions in 2007: It's Been Done Before
DayTimers 2006 New Year's Resolution Survey Shows Many People Actually Succeed. 55% reported succeeding in eating healthier and 51% reported succeeding in adding more exercise to their lives during that period. Thirty-nine percent said that they succeeded in losing weight and reducing stress during the past five years.
Allentown, PA (PRWEB) December 30, 2006 -- Each year the number one New Year's resolution made by US adults 18 years and older involves improving some aspect of their health and fitness. According to the DayTimers 2006 New Year's Resolution telephone survey, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation from December 15 - 18, 2006, many have succeeded in keeping those resolutions in the past five years.
In fact, 55% reported succeeding in eating healthier and 51% reported succeeding in adding more exercise to their lives during that period. Thirty-nine percent said that they succeeded in losing weight and reducing stress during the past five years.
The two resolutions that were most difficult to keep were cutting down on alcohol consumption (only 23% were able to succeed) and, secondly, quitting smoking (just 15% were able to stop) in the past five years.
"There are some very clear and concrete steps that separate the winners from the losers," said the Nutrition Twins, Lyssie Lakatos, R.D. and Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D. "Whether someone's resolution is to eat healthier and lose weight or increase exercise and reduce stress, the techniques to reach those goals are the same--stay positive, get support and utilize tools that are focused on your goal."
The Nutrition Twins offer the following tips to help others succeed in keeping those health and fitness New Year resolutions:
- Make a commitment to yourself -- Glance in the mirror and look yourself straight in the eye. Make a sincere promise to yourself that you are in for the long haul and that setbacks will not deter you. Can't look yourself in the eye? Think again about whether you are really ready to make this change.
- Visualize your success -- See yourself doing exercise, eating normally and living happily. In your visualizations, utilize as many of your senses as possible -- smell the goodness of the food you are eating, feel the strength and energy returning to your body, see the newer healthier you enjoying life.
- Seek support -- Whether it's just telling others that you are aiming to make the change or partnering with a friend, colleague or partner to 'do it' together, reaching out to others helps anchor your commitment to yourself and can be one aspect of keeping you accountable. You can also seek the professional help of a coach, dietician, therapist or support group. Or you can follow the proven principles for burning fat and losing weight forever in the Nutrition Twins book, Fire Up Your Metabolism.
- Set specific goals -- Write them down and reward yourself each step of the way. Be specific in your description of how you'd like to improve your health during the upcoming year. Put these goals in priority order, noting whether they are immediate, intermediate or long range. As you achieve each milestone, give yourself a reward to celebrate your achievement--a day at the spa, a mental health day off from work or that new outfit, gadget or tech toy you've been eyeing.
- Keep track of eating habits -- Whether you're trying to lose or gain weight, it all starts with keeping track of what you're already consuming. Most people don't realize what they're putting in their mouths until they take time to write it down. A good place to keep a food diary is in the Diabetes Management Planner from DayTimers. It's organized with a food diary section for each day, as well as a daily reminder of target carbs/calories. The planner, originally designed for people with diabetes, is also an excellent tool for maintaining control of your weight, as well as your day.
- Place necessary tasks for goal achievement in your daily schedule -- Decide which steps are necessary to achieve each of your goals and put them in your planner. For example, you're much more likely to go the gym for an hour, three days a week, when you've scheduled it into your life -- just as you would an important meeting or date. This way, anything else that comes up gets scheduled around your gym time, not in conflict with it.
- Find new, encouraging ways to keep track of success -- There are many new items available to help support your exercise efforts. For example, the talking jump rope and talking pedometer from DayTimers are fun ways to help you track your achievements. The talking jump rope counts calories, number of jumps, and work-out time while you improve your cardio fitness. The talking pedometer has a built-in FM radio to keep you company during your morning walking routine. You can also wear it throughout the day and get voice announcements of your distance walked, steps taken, and calories burned.
- Monitor food intake at restaurant -- It's easy enough to measure food and monitor intake at home using the stainless steel portion scale from DayTimers. However, it's even easier to be misled by the large portions dished out in restaurants. By using the 'rule of hand' to figure out portion size, you can avoid overeating. (Small fist = 1 cup, cup of hand = 1/2 cup, 3 middle fingers = 2 oz.) If you know you'll be tempted to eat extra food, place it on a bread plate and immediately ask your server to doggy bag it or take it away. Finally, to help direct you to restaurants that offer healthier eating options, try the Guide to Healthy Restaurant Eating from DayTimers.
"Good health has a significant impact on other areas of our lives. When we're in fair or poor health, we generally do not participate in an exercise or fitness activity. This, then, has a snowball effect, leaving us feeling always or frequently rushed; we then spend more time in a typical day reacting to problems or doing unplanned tasks," The Nutrition Twins commented.
"When we take actions to achieve our New Year's resolutions, we generally feel very good about ourselves, and feel very successful and happy. It's the perfect way to start off 2007 and join the others who have succeeded in achieving their new year's resolutions," Lyssie and Tammy concluded.
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