Here is a good article from the
CBS Early Show (from 2010) about keeping your New Years resolutions:
How to Stick to New Year's Resolutions
Exercise More? Eat Healthier? Read Tips on How to Succeed at Your Goals by Not Aiming Too High, Too Quickly
We're only hours into 2010, and somewhere, someone's New Year's resolutions are already toast. Resolutions are a great idea, but experts say many of us aim too high and end up quickly giving up.
Woman's Day Health Director Amy Brightfield shares some tips with "The Early Show Saturday Edition" on how to turn potential failures into success.
Failed Resolution: Exercise Regularly
An easy way to avoid failure is to create a habit gradually, perhaps starting with a five-minute walk daily.
Brightfield said, "Try to walk at least five minutes every day. Doesn't sound like much but at this point it's all about setting the groundwork so exercise will be a natural part of your life, not something you have to force yourself to do. Plus, experts emphasize that building a habit gradually and consistently makes it more likely that you'll stick with it long-term."
"After the first week or two, bump the walking up to ten minutes and keep adding five minutes every week until you're up to 30. And consider this amazing health benefit you'll be getting: The Harvard Nurses' Health study, which followed 80,000 women for more than 20 years found that just a half hour of walking daily can slash your risk of a heart attack by 30 to 40 percent. (And heart disease is the number one killer of women and men)," she added.
Failed Resolution: Eat Healthier
"When it comes to eating healthier, don't think "overhaul." For example, some people vow to not eat sweets or dessert or chips, or some other favorite indulgent food. A better way is to focus on the positive, or what you can eat," Brightfield suggests.
"Vow to eat foods that have fewest ingredients possible. Natural, healthy foods like yogurt, fruit and nuts are really just one-ingredient. The longer the ingredients list, the more processed it is, and processed foods tend to be higher in fat, salt, sugar and additives that we don't need," she explained.
"Another big part of a healthy diet is getting five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables daily. That sounds like a lot, but if you vow to eat one fruit and/or veggie at every meal you'll be well on your way. Even better, if you have a simple salad with lunch and dinner (think dark, leafy greens, tomatoes, carrots, skip the creamy dressing and croutons) chances are you'll be getting at least two servings of veggies. In fact, doing this can even help you lose weight: one study showed that people who started with a salad (or soup) ate less during the meal. Plus, fruits and veggies are what experts call "high volume" foods meaning they fill you up for fewer calories. And you can eat more of them," Brightfield added.
Failed Resolution: Be Happy!
"This is always a toughie: you can't just wake up one day and say, 'Okay, I'm going to be more positive.' But believe it or not, you can train your brain to think positively. You just have to start small. Neuroscientists know that thought patterns create neural pathways in our brain. So just like making a trail in the woods, the more often you walk the same path the easier it is to go that way," Brightfield explained.
One easy solution, Brightfield said, is the help someone in a small way every day. "One little thing that'll go a long way is try and help someone every day. It can be something as small as helping your co-worker solve a problem, taking time to stop and give directions to a stranger or listening to a friend vent. Research shows that when you do things for others, there's more activity in the 'pleasure' part of your brain. So it actually triggers a physiological response that makes you feel better, happier."
Also, she said to write down one thing you're grateful for. "If you're helping out but still not feeling the love, try writing one thing down a day that you're grateful for. It doesn't have to be big - it can be as simple as being thankful for your morning latte. This will help train your brain to focus on the positive and help change those negative thought patterns. It'll also give you more energy: one study found that people who kept a daily list of things they're grateful for had 25 percent more energy," Brightfield explained.
Failed Resolution: Stress Less
An easy solution is to laugh every day. "Laughter is a great tension-reliever because experts say that it increases the production of those feel-good endorphins in your brain. Laughter can also stimulate circulation, helping to soothe and release tension in your muscles," Brightfield said.
Another way to reduce stress, Brightfield said, is to take time out to breathe deeply for five to ten minutes. "Deep breathing is a great way to dissipate stress because it actually slows your heart rate (which tends to race when your stressed) and can help lower blood pressure," she said.
Failed Resolution: Get More Sleep
"Trying to catch up by sleeping in on the weekends doesn't make up for the zzz's you're not regularly getting during the week. Getting that seven to nine hours experts recommend really is crucial to your health: research shows that lack of sleep raises your risk of heart disease, diabetes and may even contribute to weight gain (not to mention make you cranky!)," Brightfield explained.
"In fact, being sleep deprived raises your risk of being in a car crash: a study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that people who sleep six to seven hours a night are twice as likely to be involved in a car crash as those sleeping eight hours or more, while people sleeping less than five hours increased their risk four to five times," she added. "Another Australian study showed that being awake for 18 hours and then driving made you just as impaired as if you had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .05, and .10 after 24 hours; .08 is considered legally drunk."
You need to figure out exactly how much you need. "On a vacation or weekend, don't set an alarm for a few days and see how long you sleep. Experts say that's about as much as you need," Brightfield explained.
"Work up to getting the zzz's you need by going to bed five to ten minutes earlier each night until you're there," she added.
