Make resolutions last in new year
Tis the season of resolutions and making personal changes that can often fade to the background amid the chaos of everyday life. But local family medicine provider, Alison Shpeherd, MSN, APRN, is encouraging area residents to make changes with their longterm health goals in mind and lay out specific plans that fit their health and lifestyle.
“It’s really easy this time of year to say, ‘I want to lose that holiday weight,’ and resort to a fad diet or last- minute exercise routine that ultimately isn’t very lasting because it’s hard to maintain or you don’t see much change. The new year, for a moment, can give us a new outlook, but when our everyday lives start coming into play, those changes we wanted to make can seem more difficult to achieve. That does not mean we shouldn’t set resolutions for ourselves or have healthy goals in mind, we just have to be realistic about what we want our goals to be and how we get there,” said Shepherd.
“There are a couple of things to understand that can help us in sticking to our resolutions,” she added. “The first is that real, long-term health changes are a more gradual process than we want them to be, but the changes we make to get there can be simpler than adhering to the latest diet to hit magazines. The second is that our end-goals need to be realistic and specific to us as individuals. You may not be able to achieve the same goal as your spouse or best friend on the same timeline because your job demands different things of you, or you have a health condition that they don’t have to worry about. Every part of your life can affect the journey you are taking to reach your goals, and everyone faces different challenges in that.”
Shepherd explained that approaching fad diets or exercise regimes without consulting your primary care provider can result in failed expectations if you do not go in with the understanding of what works best for your body. “Diets where you cut out certain foods may work quickly, but they aren’t the most sustainable plan for your personal health and can often lead to binging and relapsing into unhealthy eating habits. For one thing, weight does not necessarily equate to health. You can lose a lot of weight in very unhealthy ways and find your body lacking a lot of the nutrients it needs. If you are tired during the day, having trouble sleeping at night, notice a negative change in your skin or hair, or any number of unwanted symptoms, it’s entirely possible that your new diet is depriving your body of the things it needs. You should only cut out foods or food groups that are expressly prohibited by a medial professional based on a history of allergy or other medical condition that is aggravated by the consumption of certain foods. Otherwise, your body needs sugars and fats and proteins and vitamins to function. If there are certain foods you are cutting out or limiting, whether based on your provider’s recommendation or your own decisions, discuss replacements for those nutrient sources you may be losing along with that food.”
Shepherd said, similarly, not all exercise plans work for every individual and a healthcare professional should be consulted when trying something new. “To some extent, movement is good for everyone and taking part in a physical activity that interests you will increase the likelihood of maintaining it. But certain body types work more efficiently with certain activity. Likewise, certain medical conditions can put constraints on your body that cause it to become overworked and negatively impacted if done incorrectly.
“For example, if you are considering aerobic exercise involving weights, you need to take your joint health into consideration and ask if your joints can withstand the speed and impact of an such a workout. If you start at too high an intensity, or you push yourself too fast, you can see damage done to the body tissues that you are trying to improve. If you are still interested in aerobics, you should consider starting out at a lower level of intensity. If an exercise instruction recommends a three- pound weight and you feel that is too much, don’t hesitate to use a one-pound weight, or no weight at all until the movement has strengthened that targeted part of your body enough to withstand increasing the weight. Be aware, also, that even with improvement, you may still see some wear- and- tear from repetitive movement or stress, and you should adjust your exercise plan accordingly and give your body time to heal,” explained Shepherd.
“Learning little things about your own body— that you shouldn’t cut out carbohydrates entirely or maybe that walking is better for you than running—can help you maintain your longterm goals, prevent you from hitting walls, and allow you to make your 2021 resolutions into overall lifestyle changes. The key is not to dive into the unknown. Instead, make a plan and discuss it with your provider. Expect your results to come a little more gradually. Don’t get disheartened if your journey is not one continuous motion; you can still make progress amid setbacks. More than anything, trust yourself and remain positive about making healthier choices,” said Shepherd.
Alison Shepherd sees patients at the Family Medicine Clinic of East Arkansas Medical Group. To schedule an appointment call 870- 633- 0215 or visit www.ForrestCityAnytime.co m. For more information on services offered through the clinic, visit www.EastArkansasCare.com.