So, you’re about two weeks into that New Year’s Resolution. How’s it going? Statistics say that by now about one-third of us are close to quitting, and 85 percent of us will have thrown in the towel by March.
Whether your goal is eating healthier, quitting smoking, exercising more, or something else, there are ways to improve your odds of sticking to that New Year’s resolution. According to Lori Molenaar, psychiatric nurse practitioner at University Health Service, it is important to set realistic goals.
“You should set measurable, specific goals,” Molenaar says. Rather than just saying, “I’m going to quit smoking,” make a plan to reduce cigarette use by X number of cigarettes per day; or set up an appointment, by a certain date, with a tobacco cessation specialist. These smaller steps are better than an abrupt, life-altering change.
Remember that behavior change takes time. Molenaar encourages students not to give up immediately if they slip up. A new behavior takes practice before it becomes the new routine. There will be pitfalls, so you should have a plan for how you are going to eat healthfully while watching the Super Bowl, or what you are going to say when a friend asks you to have a smoke.
Molenaar also recommends having a healthy replacement or substitute in place. For instance, if you smoke when you are stressed out, you will need a new stress management tool to put in its place. Instead of thinking about the foods that you are avoiding, consider the healthy foods that you can add into your diet like fruits, vegetables and seafood.
Consider enlisting the help of a professional by scheduling an appointment with a University Health Service health educator or clinician to discuss possible replacements for the behaviors you are trying to change. With a little bit of planning, you can be successful in sticking with your New Year’s resolution.
Jill Kindy is a registered dietician at UHS. Email opinions@kykernel.com.
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