New Year’s Resolutions – What’s New Under The Sun?

When the clock strikes midnight on December 31st and many are cheering in the New Year, thoughts turn inward and we start thinking of what we want to accomplish in the upcoming year. This year is no different, right? Due to the uncertainty that our nation is facing, many are feeling more uneasy about what this year will bring. Will the stock market improve? Will I still have my job?  Will the price of gas sky-rocket? Will I still have health insurance?  For these reasons, it is important for us to pause for a moment and reflect on what we can do to improve our individual lives. Compared to the entire world, the US still offers so much to its people, that we really have little to complain about. Whether you agree with that statement or not, New Year’s is a time that gives everyone a “new start” and is a time where it’s okay to “start over.”

The gamut of New Year’s resolutions is wide – and dependent upon each individual person’s situation. What do all of these resolutions have in common? They involve ACTION on our part! The following is a list of the top ten New Year’s resolutions based on over 300,000 responses worldwide.

Top 10 List of New Year’s Resolutions

  1. Lose weight and get into shape
  2. Quit smoking and/or drinking
  3. Reduce stress
  4. Enjoy more quality time with friends and family
  5. Volunteer or help others
  6. Find a soul mate
  7. Learn something new or improve education
  8. Get organized
  9. Find a better job
  10. Stick to a budget and reduce debt

What’s number one on your resolution list?

For most people losing weight and getting into shape are typically top on most people’s list of New Year’s resolutions and is something that many people struggle with.  I would like to encourage you today to realize the importance of regular exercise and eating a diet that is healthy for your body.  Eating properly and exercising regularly are things that every person has control over.

What should you be eating?

As you know, we are strong advocates of knowing your individual Hauser Diet Type.  You can know for certain how you should eat because we will test your blood and determine your Diet Type. Contrary to popular belief, there is no one “healthy” diet for everyone.  Most people do not fare well on the fat-free, sugar-free, chemically processed fake food diet, we know that for certain.  Making a conscious effort to eat fresh food in our opinion should be your number one diet resolution if you are not already doing it. Choosing fresh meats, poultry, fish, eggs, salads, and vegetables, along with a few whole grains will suit most people well. Hauser Diet Typing will provide you with a more detailed breakdown of the carbohydrate, protein, and fat content of your individual diet. But the first step is to dump the junk, and eat fresh!

Get moving!

As we age, we have more to gain from physical activity and more to lose if we do not keep active. Exercise drastically reduces incidence of age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and osteoporosis.  If you are already suffering from one of these conditions, you will notice that adding exercise to your daily routine will greatly reduce your symptoms.

We like to tell our patients here at Caring Medical that we want to help you get fit. We did not say “skinny”…we said “fit.”  Are you ever going to get fit if you don’t resolve to do something about it? The first step starts with you.

If you want to eat right and add exercise into your life, you are going to have to form some habits. Did you know that it takes 21 to 30 days to form a habit? Once you reach the point where you have done something enough times to make it a habit, it is not so difficult to accomplish. With eating, that means you make gradual changes and then stick to them – they just become habits. That’s the way you eat – it is no longer a “diet.”

Regarding  exercise, let me give you this example.  My training partner and I have been working out with each other for nearly two years now. We were chatting the other day on one of our runs recently recalling that each of us has only missed one training day over the two years, where one of us felt under the weather. We have never cancelled or not shown up for the workout for two years! That’s pretty amazing, right? Well, it took some work to get there.

  1. We found another person who has the same goals. It is much easier to work out when you know someone else is waiting for you.
  2. We like spending time together – it’s a chance to chat with your friend about the goings on in your life.
  3. We like the benefits of daily exercise – more energy, strong bodies, better results if we enter a race, decreased stress, and disease prevention.

Pick something and try it!

You are never going to start exercising if you don’t pick something to do! You can do DVDs, TV shows, home Swiss ball programs, join the YMCA or a gym, or go outside. Many many options are out there! I recently tried a different type of exercise class that was not right for my body and I ended up with a bad shin splint. In order to keep training, I needed to add cross-training to my schedule – that meant SWIMMING! I have not been a fan of swimming ever since my swim instructor held me under the water when I was five years old! Well, I have been at it now for two months! Can you believe it? I can’t! I hated swimming. I even took six swimming lessons in order to “re-learn” how to swim. I am not going to be doing any triathlons in the near future, but I might be able to do one down the road. But the bottom line is that I am learning a sport that is good for my health, easy on the joints, and that I can continue to do as I age. So I am encouraging you to find something that you enjoy and that you can do. I like to do a variety of things in order to stay in shape for the wide array of activities I enjoy doing, therefore, my training schedule involves a variety of activities. Find your passion or something that you really enjoy! You’ll be happy you did – and so will your body!

Tips for Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolution

New Year’s resolutions can be both troublesome and rewarding. Many people make them, but few really commit to them and make them a reality. Before you write out some lavish goals, take a minute to think about them. Keep your health at the forefront too, because as a patient said to me recently, “without health you don’t have anything”. Think about these two things, what do you hope to achieve in the year ahead and how do you plan to do it. The plan is the most important one. Follow these steps to make your New Year’s Resolutions achievable!

Step 1: Be specific

For example, don’t just say you want to lose weight. How much do you want to lose and in what time frame? Also, it’s helpful to write down why. That way you can revisit the list later and regain perspective if you start to lose it.

Step 2: Don’t have too many

Remember this is for 1 year, don’t come up with a list of 10 major life changes, you’ll be setting yourself up for failure. If you can, have them overlap. For instance, losing weight, lowering cholesterol, and running a 5k can all be connected. If these were your 3 goals for the year, by achieving one you will probably be helping yourself to achieve all 3.

Step 3: Set goal dates

You may want to lose 40 pounds by the end of the year, but by breaking that down by months it will seem much more attainable. That way you can stay on track.

Step 4: Start now!

There is no time like the present. As soon as you write down your resolutions, figure out what you need to do first in order to put them into action. For example, set up your doctor’s appointment to find out your base lines, go buy a gym membership, or go grocery shopping and get rid of all the junk in your house. If you’ve been putting off getting Diet Typing done, call now and make the appointment!

Step 5: Keep your list visible

Out of sight out of mind, right? I’ve done this countless times. I write my goals down on some sheet of paper in a notebook and then never pick up that notebook again. Take the paper, make it pretty if you have to, and put it someplace where you will be able to see it on a consistent basis. The refrigerator is a great place!

Make this the year that you keep your promises to yourself. That’s what resolutions and goals are. They are changes that will make a positive impact on your life, otherwise you wouldn’t have come up with them. If you need to enlist help, call us. Sometimes your goals are private, so you may not want family and friends to know about them. That’s what we’re here for! If health is your priority this year, make Caring Medical a part of your life in the new year, you’ll be glad you did!

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