Why You Should Start Your New Year's Resolution Today
Empty champagne bottles, leftover cookies, no energy and headaches for days -- hello to the New Year! Have you ever thought about what you can do now to prevent all that regret later? The holidays are knocking on your door, and the New Year is right around the corner. Will you greet them the same old way you always do, or will you show up as stronger, braver, livelier and healthier this year? Here are some end-of-the-year tips to help you put your best foot forward when the ball drops.
Start Today
December is a month filled with family, friends, fun and food -- lots of it. Wouldn't it be better without those tight-fitting pants and bloated belly? Why wait until January to be a better you? If you think a couple days of holiday splurges won't affect your health, think again. One study showed that one single junk food meal, composed mainly of saturated fats such as butter; fatty cuts of meat including beef and pork; and hydrogenated oils is detrimental to the health of the arteries, your heart's right-hand men. Now this doesn't mean replacing Christmas cookies with celery this December. You can still splurge over the holidays while keeping portion control and nutrient density in mind. You can enjoy your favorite cookie or piece of pie -- just be sure you've eaten your veggies, lean protein and whole grains first. Maybe you'll even consider splitting your treat with a loved one this December -- how's that for a smaller belly and bigger and healthier heart?
Small Goals
A great goal isn't necessarily a large goal, especially when it comes to weight loss. A great goal is one that is specific, adaptable, inspiring and achievable, and often is an aspiration before it can become a resolution. Breaking down goals into smaller, more manageable short-term targets, like losing one to two pounds per week, can lead to better chances of success. One study shows consumers are more likely to pursue goals when they are ambitious yet flexible, like a high-low range goal. So instead of setting your eye on the new year prize of losing 50 pounds, running a marathon or going full out vegan, aim to lose 3 to 5 pounds a month, exercise four to five times a week and eat four to six servings of vegetables a day. Goals are also much more attainable when they're specific. Instead of setting the goal to simply eat healthier, be more precise and set the goal of replacing white, refined grains such as bread, pasta and cereal with 100 percent whole grains; butter (saturated fat) with olive oil (monounsaturated fat) ; and potato chips, cookies and candy with fruits and vegetables, nuts and air-popped popcorn. Start these small, specific goals today -- why wait a few weeks Other specific and achievable goals include: take the stairs, floss daily, limit yourself to one drink a day or three to five a week, eat a meatless meal once a week, get several colors into your diet every day or even limit your overall dining out.
Food Diary
Similar to looking at yourself in a mirror, keeping a food diary can help you identify areas of improvement as it depicts a reflection of what you eat. One study shows those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no food records. Writing down what you eat may encourage people to consume fewer calories, an important criterion for weight loss; however, more importantly, keeping a record of what you eat can encourage people to shift their focus away from the caloric-dense world of calorie counting and toward the nutrient-dense and portion-controlled world -- the world in which your body and health will thrive. Nutrient-dense foods contain things such as protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, but with few calories. These are colorful, such as spinach, berries, sweet potatoes, salmon and quinoa.
Determine What Type of Exercise You're Most Likely to Stick With
It's no secret that being physically active is good for your health and great for your spring break bikini body (that's not too far around the corner, either!). Studies have shown exercise and physical activity lowers your risk of developing heart failure, protects you from stress-induced depression, benefits those with Type 2 diabetes and boosts the tumor-fighting ability of chemotherapy, to name a few. But do you dread the thought of running, being seen in public at the overly crowded neighborhood gym and sweating, or are you confused, bored or just too busy to exercise? Lucky for you, there are as many forms of exercise as there are fireworks on New Year's Eve.
Starting an exercise regimen doesn't have to mean training for a marathon or joining the gym. Consider purchasing a monthly or annual pass to a yoga or spinning studio, working out with a personal trainer, going to a fun, high-energy group class like Zumba with friends, finding a walking buddy or buying an exercise DVD to use at home. Spend these last few weeks of the year discovering what types of exercise you like best, determining a regimen that will keep you most committed and having more fun with exercise, which can impact how much you eat. Similar to diet, quality, not quantity, counts most in exercise, and a multi-dimensional exercise regimen that includes resistance exercise, interval sprint exercise, stretching (including yoga or pilates) and endurance exercise is your best bet for decreasing total and abdominal fat, increasing lean body mass and achieving optimal levels for blood pressure, blood glucose and insulin. It's never too late to get physically active.
Test Yourself -- Eliminate Sugar
Yes, I said it -- eliminate sugar! Not only does sugar make us fat, it makes us sick. A 2014 study found that about 72 percent of U.S. adults get more than the recommended 10 percent of their daily calories from added sugars in foods and drinks, and that higher levels of sugar consumption are associated with increased risk for death from cardiovascular disease. Many individuals struggle with tactics in actually breaking free of their addiction to sugar -- and yes, it can truly be an addiction. The results of one study showed that a greater neurological reward was supplied by intense sweetness than by the drug cocaine. Similar findings occur when we look at withdrawal from sweet as well, indicating that getting off sugar may cause the same neurological symptoms as withdrawing from nicotine, morphine and alcohol. One of the best things you can do for yourself now is to expand your knowledge and take these steps to reduce your sugar intake this holiday season to help really kick the habit in the New Year. January, the motivation-rich first month of the New Year, is a great month to completely eliminate sugar from your diet. Cutting back on your sugar consumption now will make the transition into the sugar-free new you much smoother. By Valentine's Day, you'll only be craving the scent of fresh flowers!
Get a Buddy!
Nothing works better than the buddy system when it comes to implementing weight-loss goals and dietary changes. Your buddy can be anyone who motivates you, keeps you on track and is committed to becoming healthier. Your buddy is someone you exercise with, cook with, eat with and confide in during tempting situations. If you want to eat healthier when dining out, research recommends surrounding yourself with friends who make healthy food choices. It's also a great idea to pick a buddy that challenges you or someone who may be one step ahead of you in the fitness world, as one study found burning more calories is easier when working out with someone you perceive as better. Ultimately, your buddy is your own personal wellness cheerleader that is both a leader and a friend.
Making changes is tough, and unfortunately, many of us will ditch our resolution by March. The reasons we fail in the end often have a lot to with the ways in which we stated. Start right this year.
Christina Fedeli contributed to this article.
Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD, is the manager of Wellness Nutrition Services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. She is an experienced presenter, an award-winning dietitian, an author and a regular television guest on both local and national shows, as well a contributor to several national magazines and newspapers. The Huffington Post recently named Kristin "one of 25 diet and nutrition experts you need to follow on Twitter." Kirkpatrick's career began in Washington, D.C., lobbying for Medical Nutrition Therapy reform, and from there she went on to become the Regional Coordinator of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Hearts N Parks program in Maryland. Follow her on Twitter at @KristinKirkpat.
