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Magazine
WELLBEING
Not what you’d expect!
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If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution this year, read on...
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Most common: Losing weight figures on almost everyone’s list of must-dos..
Research studies are conducted to find cures and treatments for all kinds of ailments, but did you know that studies have also been done to see how many of us keep to our New Year’s resolution and how many set ourselves up for failure.
Research shows that about 80 per cent of people who make resolutions on January 1 fail by Valentine’s Day. Most of these resolutions are the same, repeated year in, year out. The most common broken New Year’s resolution is “I will lose weight and exercise more this year.”
We are creatures of habit and regularity. In other words, we form habits based on our lifestyles, in interactions with our environment, family, work, friends and the roles we play with them.
Once the habits are set, we are doomed to break out of them easily for we are programmed to play these roles out on our life-stage. Well, that’s normal human behaviour.
Imagine if we could change ourselves overnight by just snapping our fingers. But... that’s what we do come January 1: snap our fingers and think that some wand has been twirled and we can write in a clean slate of habits.
So, what’s the solution…
Start small: Give yourself time; don’t set a deadline that is unrealistic, as most deadlines are. If you want to lose weight, tell yourself you need to, and that you will aim for one pound at a time and no more. It’s like taking one step at a time, no giant leap.
Don’t have regrets: Ok, so you didn’t lose any weight this week, don’t be disheartened and hard on yourself, try again next week. Keep trying, it will happen. The biggest reason we fail is we give up the hope to succeed.
Get support: Get friends and family to be your watch guard and work with you. Going alone is just too hard to manage.
The most sensible suggestion we can make is to accept who YOU are; know that you might fail, but acknowledge also that you will give yourself a chance to change long term.
So, give yourself a break this year and don’t set up a rigid resolution that is doomed from the start. Be brave and sensible and look forward to doing simply better in the immediate future.
www.NutritionVista.com
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Non-resolution recommendations
Get an annual, full physical check-up, with a CBC, Chem 7 blood test to check for diabetes and cholesterol levels.
Regular bi-annual dental cleaning and checkup to detect any early problems such as gum disease, oral cancer and cavities.
Women, please get a mammogram every two years if you’re 40 or older, but if you have a family history of breast cancer then once a year. A pap smear is recommended every three years for all women over the age of 21.
Start moving, walking, jogging, and participating in a sport you like. Call up a friend who is already active and regular in their exercise regimen. Join a friend for a 40-minute stroll every evening.
Make a resolution to eat smaller servings and portions at every meal. E.g. if you normally have 3-4 chapattis, have 2. If you typically fill 3/4 of your plate with rice, fill a quarter and take extra vegetables or lentils.
Get more sleep at night. This is a critical factor in helping reduce stress levels and also allowing your body to rejuvenate. Studies show that those who sleep less are more prone to abdominal fat, higher cholesterol levels and poor overall health.
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