Oh my, it’s that time of year again to start thinking about making New Year’s resolutions.
Did we accomplish last year’s goals set out to improve our health and wellbeing? Last year, the two most popular goals were staying fit and healthy, and losing weight. In 2014, 76 per cent of people that picked weight loss as their goal, had no weight loss program or diet plan to follow in an attempt to reach their goal. Maybe this is why success for weight loss still remains around only 5%.
To succeed in anything in life you basically need two things – to be persistent, and to have a detailed plan on how to achieve your goal.
Not having a detailed plan before setting out to accomplish a set goal will greatly decrease the chance of success. We tend to attempt the same goal over and over, relying on will power but not really changing our behavior. Albert Einstein had a famous quote, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Then how do we succeed in accomplishing our desired goal? The answer lies in why we failed on previous attempts. Failure is not something to be ashamed of, or to fear. People are horrified of failure, but in fact failure gives us the clues to success.
Let’s look at one of the most challenging obstacles of losing weight, such as overeating at night. Did you set yourself up for failure by having all the wrong foods at home, which you then couldn’t resist?
This year, try having a detailed plan, with the assistance of a professional to design an eating program that you know is possible to follow.
Remember: start with the easiest goal, then move on to more challenging ones. This will build up self confidence, making you more powerful in not only reaching your goal but knowing how to break down any challenges into easier, smaller pieces that can be dealt with in an organized manner. Well, good luck with your New Year Resolutions and remember have a plan and stick to it.
To help with your plan this year, consider booking an appointment with a registered kinesiologist or registered dietitian at your local Family Health Team.
For more information about any of the free services offered by your local Family Health Team ask your doctor or nurse practitioner during your next visit, visit the website www.afhto.ca or Google ‘family health team locations.’
Mike Libbey is a Registered Dietitian at Groves Memorial Community Hospital.
