Editorial
Front Page - Friday, January 14, 2011
Tips to sticking with a New Year’s resolution: part one
David Laprad
Each January, many people make New Year’s resolutions they never keep, such as losing weight, getting out of debt and drinking less alcohol. But there are things they can do to improve their chances of success, such as working with an accountability partner.
- David Laprad
As people place their holiday decorations in storage, they drag out another yearly custom: the dogged declaration of New Year’s resolutions. Most individuals have a few things they’d like to change about themselves or goals they’d like to achieve, and the first day of a new year seems like an ideal time to start. Then their determination melts like Christmas snow without leaving behind any trace of having been there.
The Hamilton County Herald recently talked with several local experts about the steps people can take to solidify their resolve and improve their chances of success. In this first installment in a two-part article, these specialists comment on some of the most popular resolutions people make.
Lose the excess weight,
not your resolve
The only thing harder than sticking to a resolution to lose weight is losing the pounds sticking to one’s thighs. If dropping weight was easy, dieting wouldn’t be a $57.9 billion a year industry (www.cnbc.com, “Weight-loss firms put on new customers after thin 2009”). Dr. Chris Sanborn, bariatric surgeon at Erlanger and medical director of the hospital’s weight management program, says many people fail because they set unrealistic goals. For a better shot at success, he recommends making a plan that incorporates these suggestions:
“The best approach is joining a recognized weight loss program that incorporates a team approach, one that includes dieticians, exercise physiologists, psychologists and physicians. People who have been the most successful at losing weight keep food journals, weigh in once a week, and have a support group with similar goals. Adding exercise is essential, when possible. When exercising, start modestly and with low impact activities until the weight loss makes it safer for higher impact activities.
“Sustained weight loss requires a change in lifestyle. Abandoning healthy eating habits and activity levels once the weight is lost ensures one will regain weight.
“Finally, don’t give up the ship! It’s okay to forgive yourself for dietary transgressions because all is not lost. Just pick up where you left off and stick with the plan.”
Shape up!
Weight loss goes hand-in-hand with exercise, and getting in shape is one of the most popular resolutions people make. While there’s no shortage of options for learning how to do it, Julian Kaufman, owner of Fitness Together, says using a personal trainer is a good first step.
“Even the most disciplined individuals sometimes don’t train safely or effectively. I’ve seen many disciplined exercise enthusiasts who are lean and appear to be healthy but have acquired a number of overuse issues,” he says.
Kaufman says it’s important to understand being in shape isn’t just about looking good, but also about developing a body that’s functional.
“We want people in each decade of their life to be able to enjoy movement, have the freedom to perform daily tasks, and continue recreational games and sports as long as they desire,” Kaufman says.
To get started, Kaufman suggests setting specific, realistic and measurable goals.
“Set appointments and begin with what works for you. Exercise three times per week for five minutes. If you add five minutes to each exercise session each month, by month six, you’ll be exercising for 30 minutes three times a week,” Kaufman says.
Kaufman says accountability is the key to keeping these appointments.
“Different people are successful with different forms of accountability. If a friend works – great! If a group works – great! If you need the highest level of accountability, invest in a personal trainer for 12 weeks and then re-evaluate,” he says.
Get out of debt
Paying for a personal trainer can put the squeeze on an already tight budget, so it might help to shed some debt first. Paying off credit cards and other monies owed is something many people decide to do as each new year begins, but it’s harder than the ceremonial cutting of the plastic would suggest. To help people take the first steps toward less debt, Linda Rath, interim director for Consumer Credit Counseling Services, offers the follow advice:
“Even if you’re just scraping by, you need to save something every month so you have a fund for when your transmission dies or you chip a tooth. The key is knowing how much you bring in each month and then setting a spending plan that stays within that amount and includes savings.
“People should write down all of their debt obligations, including the amount owed, the interest rate and how long they’ll need to pay. Then they can either pay off the smallest debt first, and then apply that same amount to the next [largest] debt, or they can start with the highest rate debt, pay that aggressively and then move to the next [lowest] rate.
“Working with the smallest debt can provide a psychological boost because something goes away, but the highest interest debt is the one people should tackle first,” says Rath.
Rath also says no more than 15 percent of an individual’s income should go to servicing debt, excluding mortgage debt but including credit cards and loans.
“Fifteen percent is the limit, but less is better.”
Yes, Virginia,
you can be happy at work
Less might be better when it comes to debt, but more is better when making money. For many, that would require getting a new job – something they might swear to do every work day of the year. However, there are reasons other than financial to consider a career change.
For example, an individual might no longer enjoy the environment in which he works, his job might not require him to use the skills he wishes to use, or his position might not provide the things he values. Dr. Audrey Canaff, a local career and life coach, says looking for a new job isn’t easy, but there are steps people can take that can improve their chances of success.
“The first step is to identify what you’d like to do based on an assessment of your interests, skills and values. You should then identify all of the individuals in your network, find out what they do, and let them know you’re looking for new opportunities. Also, learn about specific industries, companies and jobs. Read the newspaper, look at the trends and identify the needs,” she says.
Canaff says job hunters should also have someone critique their resume. She also says cover letters should be individualized, not addressed to “Sir” or “Madam.”
“Listen to your voicemail message, too. You’re looking for a job, so no music, kids singing, or dogs barking. If you’re leaving your home phone number, teach your spouse and children how to answer a call. I’ve had candidates lose potential interviews due to teenagers who didn’t take a message, or kids and spouses acting impolitely.”
Canaff says getting a job or making a career change is hard work, but the results can be rewarding if the individual does a “smart” search.
“Do a dumb search, and it’ll show. You won’t get interviewed or find a satisfying job,” she says.
Drink less alcohol
One of the first resolutions many people make upon waking up to a new year is to drink less. While the aftereffects of too much partying can be great motivators for change, the real issue isn’t how much a person imbibed on New Year’s Eve, but the amount he drinks on a daily basis. Consuming less alcohol could help an individual achieve other goals, such as becoming healthier and saving money (not to mention the contribution it would make to reducing the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths).
A blog on www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com says people who want to drink less should first try to stop drinking for 90 days. Those who struggle and fail have an alcohol abuse problem and should go through therapy and support sessions to learn how to abstain altogether, writes author Bethany Winkel. Those who aren’t addicted can gain some control over their behaviors and tendencies through the following methods:
“To drink less, keep track of how much you actually drink. The healthy normal is one drink daily for women and two for men. If you’re consuming more than this, seriously consider cutting back,” Winkel writes.
A person should then set a goal, and spell out the reasons for that goal, whether it’s to better a relationship, improve one’s health or take charge of one’s life. Individuals who plan to drink shouldn’t consume more than two drinks per day, and should set aside days to not drink at all. To avoid temptation, a person should keep only a few drinks in his house.
Finally, Winkel suggests replacing drinking with positive activities, such as getting involved with a community group, taking up a hobby, or spending time with friends that don’t drink.
“There’s more to life than alcohol,” she writes.
See next week’s article for tips on how to stick with five more popular New Year’s resolutions. In the meantime, don’t give up the ship!
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