Does your checklist of New Year’s resolutions need a reality check?
✦
If you’re like many people, you
may be aiming too high with your annual aspirations. That means you might give up before you
really get started.
✦
Making significant lifestyle changes often takes time and patience. With realistic
resolutions, you put yourself in a position to succeed.
To get started on changes that you can stick with for decades
rather than days, the American Psychological Association sug-
gests that you:
1
Take small steps.
Don’t try to reinvent your whole life in
one fell swoop. Break down big goals into small stages.
Maybe you want to get your house organized. Start with one
room and one task in that room. Once you’ve accomplished the
first project, it will motivate you to move on to the next.
2
Set a realistic timetable.
You’ve probably picked up your
current habits over time, so don’t necessarily expect to get rid
of them overnight.
If you want to wean yourself off nicotine or lose 20 pounds,
recognize that it will take some time. Set up a calendar with
weekly targets. You’ll feel less overwhelmed as you try to ac-
complish these major goals.
3
Seek support.
Everyone knows it’s difficult to make lifestyle
changes. Reach out to family and friends. Join a support group.
Look for an exercise buddy. You’ll likely find that sharing your
journey makes the trip easier.
Finally, there may be times that your resolve begins to dis-
solve. Just remember that 60 percent of those who make good on
their New Year’s resolutions fall short one or more times before
succeeding. So stick with it!
HEALTHY
HABITS
FOR 2015
B
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, MD,
board
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family
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Exercise.
Aim for 30 minutes, five days a
week. Find what you enjoy doing, and be
active, even if it’s 10 minutes at a time. Walk
with a friend or your dog. Sign up for a
class. Exercise lowers blood pressure and
reduces the risk of heart disease, hyperten-
sion, diabetes and osteoporosis. It keeps
joints flexible, decreases pain and stiffness,
improves energy and sleep, and relieves
stress and anxiety.
Strive for a healthy weight.
Obesity
is linked to premature death and increased
risk of heart disease, diabetes, hyperten-
sion and certain cancers. Look for simple
changes that you can make and live with,
such as eliminating sweetened drinks or
avoiding late-night snacks.
Eat well.
A diet high in fiber, with lots of
fruits and vegetables, decreases risk of heart
disease, stroke and colon cancer. Replace
high-fat and high-sugar foods with healthier
choices. Aim for five servings of fruits and
vegetables each day. A helpful visual is to fill
half your dinner plate with vegetables, and
then the other half with lean meat or fish and
a starch (potatoes, bread or pasta).
Don’t smoke
. Smoking is linked to
each of the top three causes of death in
the U.S. (heart disease, lung disease and
cancer). It increases not only the risk of
lung cancer, but also leukemia and cancers
of the mouth, bladder, pancreas, esophagus
and colon.
Get screened
. See your doctor for
regular care and screenings. Detecting
high blood pressure, cholesterol or elevated
blood sugar early lets you address problems
before they cause damage. Finding cancer,
or even pre-cancers, early through a skin
exam, mammogram or colonoscopy, allows
for effective treatment.
TODAY
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RESOLUTIONS
CHEW ON THIS
Healthy dental habits form early.
Get your child off to a good start.
SEE PAGE 2
Y
New
Year’s