Resolutions for a Healthy New Year
With the new year fast approaching, it’s only natural that we would start coming up with New Year’s resolutions. Having the goal of making positive changes in our lives is a good one, but when we try to change too much, we often fail. We’ve come up with some ways for you to actually stick to your goals this year.
Start Small
In wellness, there are five components to healthy living: spinal health, optimal nutrition, emotional balance, toxin elimination, and physical fitness.
The first step is to pick one of those categories that you want to focus on. Perhaps you have a weakness in one area. Maybe you haven’t been to the chiropractor for a couple of months, so spinal health might be a goal. Once you pick a component, you can make one, small resolution in that category. By making the goal small, you’ll increase your chances of success.
It’s better to complete small goals than to fail big ones.
Plan Ahead
Picking a category is the start, and defining your resolution and planning for its success are the next steps. Make sure that your goal is attainable and measurable. Instead of saying you want to lose 30 pounds, try breaking it down into smaller, more achievable pieces. To lose weight in general, you need to add in more movement and watch what you eat.
A small, attainable goal might be adding in more daily steps, which could lead to the big, eventual goal. For example, find your average daily steps and try to increase it by 2,000 more steps a day. This may not seem like a lot, but after you achieve it, your confidence will grow, and you can add more. A good approach is to aim to achieve your daily goal for 80% of the days.
It’s up to you to define what success and failure looks like for your small goal.
Anticipate Problems
One of the main reasons why we fail our resolutions is because we don’t anticipate what could go wrong, so we end up falling off the wagon. Injury, illness, and changes in travel plans may all throw a wrench in our gears, but it’s up to us on how we handle any unforeseen situations.
If you have to work late at work, plan on taking the stairs instead of standing in the elevator, or you can take a walk around the building after you eat lunch. Perhaps, bring a healthy lunch instead of eating something from the fast food restaurant down the street. Before you travel, make sure you’ve got extra supplements and you’ve gotten an adjustment to carry you through.
Focus on what you can do versus what you can't.
Go for It and Accept Failure
Once you have your plan and small goal in mind, it’s time to start. Pick a start date that aligns with your goals. If you haven’t had time to prepare, then don’t start tomorrow. Set yourself up for success.
Make sure you commit. When you start, go all in, but remember that life happens, so if you eat an extra cupcake or can’t walk your extra steps, make sure you aren’t too hard on yourself.
Reward Yourself
Rewards are perhaps the best part of accomplishing your goals. Rewards can often be a cheat meal or buying yourself something. Though these are good rewards, it’s best to make sure that the rewards align with your goals. A reward shouldn’t set you up for failure. So, if you have an addictive personality, you may need to set more strict limitations, so you don’t fall into old habits.
Consult Us
Optimizing your health is important to us. We are accepting new patients. Call to make an appointment or sign up for one of our classes. If you have questions or would like us to address a topic in an upcoming blog, please email us. We look forward to hearing from you.
In Best Health,
Dr. Robert