NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLVE
Fitness instructor, tobacco educator and dietician share tips to help stick to new year’s resolutions
Hints to help stick to 2018’s resolutions
A new year means new resolutions.
But now that it’s more than two weeks into 2018, the challenge is to stay motivated, to stay the course and keep those well-intentioned goals.
Here’s some advice:
Resolution #1: I’m going to join and gym and work out
more in 2018
Corey Arsenault, owner of Stretch Fitness in Summerside and fitness and lifestyle coach, sees the same thing every year.
“There will be a lot of people coming and going in the second week of January. But, by next week we’ll have 25 per cent less, and the week after, traffic will drop another 25 per cent, and by February we’ll be back to the numbers we had before the new year.”
The numbers will be comprised of new and returning faces.
“When it comes to joining a gym in January, some people are joining for the wrong reasons. If you come in and join in July, it’s because you want to, not because of a resolution.
Resolutions are great, but it has to be the right time for you.”
Arsenault does have a few tips and tricks to help people stick with their resolutions.
“Don’t try to make all the changes at once. Say you’re trying to quit smoking, commit to the gym six days a week and eat only whole foods. If you’re stressed or upset or just need a little something, you won’t have any of those go-tos if they’re taken away immediately.”
Arsenault’s top five tips include:
Start realistically and slowly
Don’t try to change too much at once
Work on one thing at a time
Find a buddy, preferably someone who will hold you accountable
Identify the things in your lifestyle that may prevent you from committing to the resolution.
Resolution #2: I’m going to
quit smoking this year. Katelyn MacAulay, a respiratory therapist and certified tobacco educator for Health P.E.I., said the number of people wanting to quit smoking rises in early January.
She says quitting smoking is the best decision a person can make, and there are usually three main reasons that inspire the change.
“The first is usually because a doctor or a health-care professional has told them to quit. Second might be because they’ve had a health event like a heart attack or have been admitted to hospital because of their breathing. And third would be because family or friends have raised their concerns about the habit.”
A great place to start is by keeping the home, car and workplace smoke-free and then have the house or car cleaned so the smell isn’t there to encourage getting back into the habit.
She suggests changing routine.
“If you had a cup of coffee every morning and then a cigarette right after, try having your coffee in another room, or after your coffee go for a walk.”
MacAulay’s other tips include:
Reward yourself when you see success
Try an activity or distraction when you have a craving Drink lots of water
Try deep-breathing exercises
Put the money you save by quitting in a jar and don’t touch it. By the end of the year you might be able to go on the trip you didn’t think you’d be able to afford.
MacAulay also says it’s important to remember slip-ups happen.
“When they do happen, try determining what caused you to smoke.”
Resolution #3: I’m going to
eat healthier this year Angela Dawson, a registered dietician who works out of the Summerside and West Royalty Superstores, says when it comes to resolutions, “It’s important not to overhaul your entire diet. Start by making small changes by picking one area to focus on.”
Many people who ask Dawson for diet help are concerned about weight loss, general healthy eating, disease management or prevention and meal planning.
Remember that barriers and roadblocks are going to present themselves, she warns.
“Identify those barriers and be aware of (a) habit that may make it difficult to quit drinking sugary drinks or (eating) salty or sweet foods.” Dawson’s top tips include:
Create balanced meals: one half fruits and vegetables, one quarter protein and one quarter starch or grains
Meal planning is key; have vegetables chopped or rice cooked to throw together
Planning doesn’t have to be elaborate
Remember that weight loss is a gradual process
Practise mindful eating. Listen to your body to decide if you are eating because you’re hungry or for another reason
Cut junk food or drinks or poor habits back slowly
Remember the 80:20 rule: 80 per cent of your diet is healthy foods, 20 per cent is less healthy foods.