New Year’s health resolutions, and how to finally achieve them!

With the New Year quickly approaching, “getting in shape”, “losing weight”, and “toning up” are common generic goals many individuals have, and it all starts on January 1^st.   One more Christmas feast before the “diet” begins and life can become miserable that first day of the year.

January 1^st arrives.  It only takes a few days or weeks of running when you hate to run and eating a small portion of bland chicken and broccoli to reach a tipping point. Failure occurs. Whether it be grazing on your kid’s candy throughout the day or gorging at that Chinese buffet, or not going to the gym because it’s been a long and stressful week.  Black and white thinking takes over, and now it’s all over. Back to eating whatever and whenever. Back to weight gain and getting winded just walking up the stairs.

Why can’t it be easier? Let me tell you, it’s not easy, but by learning how to live a healthy lifestyle instead of an “all or nothing” lifestyle, you can succeed in whatever health goal you desire. Let me tell you how.

• MAKE THE CHOICE TO CHANGE: If the desire to change is only half there, don’t expect to win the battle.  Fully commit to living a healthy lifestyle and work daily on achieving it.

• WRITE DOWN SPECIFIC GOALS:  They must be specific and reasonable.  Is your goal to lose weight? How much? And in what timeframe?  Goals vary for everyone. Write short term and long-term goals down on a piece of paper. Don’t be afraid to modify goals based on progress, life events, and setbacks (or overachievement!).
• CONSISTENCY OVER PERFECTION: Get rid of the black and white thinking! Each day is a new day, and if you have chosen to reach your goals, and you consistently work on achieving them, you will get there!
• EAT HEALTHY FOODS MOST OF THE TIME, AND FUN FOODS SOME OF THE TIME:  The 80/20 rule is a good guideline to follow. 80% wholesome and nutritious foods. This should include carbs, fats, and plenty of lean protein. A typical plate of food should be ¼ protein, ¼ carb, and ½ leafy vegetables and fruit. There should be some good fats (avocado, oils, etc) in small quantities added for satiety.  20% of foods should be fun food. Do you crave M&Ms after dinner? Eat them! Just don’t have them after every meal every day. Don’t be afraid of certain foods or food groups (carbs and fat are not the enemy!). Instead focus on consistently eating the right portions of food daily to succeed.

• FIND A TYPE OF EXERCISE YOU ENJOY: If you hate to run, don’t run! It may take some trial and error to find what you love to do for exercise. The recommended amount of exercise is at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity (difficult to finish a sentence without needing to take a breath) exercise every day, or 20 minutes of high intensity (only able to speak single words or phrases before needing a breath) exercise daily. The choice is yours, but if you choose something that isn’t enjoyable, don’t expect to stick with it. Walk your dog, swim, ride bike, join a yoga class, lift weights, run, jog, find a home program, hike, etc. The options are limitless! You can even ask a physical therapist how to get started when exercise is something you haven’t done since high school basketball practice!

• THROW DIETS OUT THE WINDOW: Yes, you do need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight, but you don’t need to cut out all your favorite foods and follow a strict “fad diet” to succeed. In fact, many times individuals gain MORE weight back after a stopping a diet than they started with!  Sometimes, measuring portions and tracking calories is a good start just to make sure you aren’t overestimating portions and calories. There are many calorie calculators online that can help you determine the amount needed to lose weight successfully and safely without going on a “diet”. Talk to a dietitian if you struggle with this!
• GET INTO A ROUTINE: There’s no doubt about it, some days you just won’t be motivated to get moving.  This is where development of a routine comes in. A routine should be established for exercise and for sleep. 6-8 hours of sleep is recommended. Think of it as developing a habit to go to bed at the same time every night, to wake up at the same time every morning, and to work out at the same time every day. Once a routine is established, motivation will be less of a concern as this “habit” is just what you’ve always done and continue to do. As the saying goes, “80% of life is showing up”.  Same goes for sleep and exercise!
• NEVER GIVE UP: Take this day by day. Don’t expect immediate results. Start slow and work your way up. You have your ENTIRE LIFE to succeed. But, if it doesn’t start now and continue for the rest of your life, then the January 1^st resolutions will continue to disappoint every year. You’ve got this. Consistency, routine, and a daily drive to live happy and healthy, eating foods you love and doing the things you love!

Shelby Carlson, PT, DPT

Shelby is a western North Dakota native who graduated from the University of North Dakota with a doctoral degree in physical therapy in 2017. In addition to her desire to help others regain function through motion, she is particularly interested in the treatment of wounds and lymphedema management. She plans to become a Certified Wound Specialist (CWS) to provide the best care for her patients. She holds a Kinetacore Level 1 Functional Dry Needling certification.