Skip to main content

Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions



With assistance from Northeastern graduate student Melissa Pryputniewicz

A new year brings the hope and promise of new starts. This makes it the perfect time for people to make resolutions to change certain behaviors. But even with good intentions many people don’t succeed in keeping their resolutions. A study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that only half of the people who made a resolution stuck with it after six months. So you may be asking, what are the keys to success?

Calvin and Hobbes, Bill Waterson
Make Resolutions Realistic and Specific
Many people make big resolutions like "I want to lose weight," or "I want to eat healthier." While these goals highlight positive changes, they are not very specific. Instead trying reframing your goals into more specific terms. Not only will this help you measure when you have achieved a goal, but it also gives you a clear plan of action for starting to work on the resolution.

Break Big Goals Into Smaller Ones
This tip is along the same lines as the tip above. If your goal is too broad it can seem impossible to reach two weeks into January. Try breaking the large goal into smaller goals. Doing so will create a sense of achievement with every small goal that is met, which will keep you motivated on reaching that big goal!

Use Smartphone Apps
There are countless apps available for free on both iPhone and Android devices to help you keep track of your resolutions. If your resolution is to eat healthier, try MyNetDiary a free calorie counter and food diary. Cardio Trainer allows the user to keep track of all of their workouts, for those of you who are trying to increase your physical activity. Trying to save money this year? You can try Mint or Pocket Budget; both can help you keep track of your spending. Be sure to check out all of the options available!

Tell a Friend
Telling a friend, family member or co-worker helps you stick to a resolution in two ways. First, it gives you someone to be accountable to. It is very easy to give up when making any lifestyle change, but having someone check in on your progress every so often makes you more likely to stick to your resolution. Second, it gives you someone to lean on during the process. A person you can talk to about your frustrations and success to.

Reward Yourself
For every goal you meet, big or small, reward yourself for your achievement. By rewarding yourself you are acknowledging that you have been successful which is gratifying. The reward can also serve as motivation when you are in the thick of changing your habits. The reward can be anything, from a new outfit to treating yourself to movie tickets. And maybe think of an extra special reward for when you have made your resolution part of your daily life!

Remember, it takes time to make even the smallest changes become everyday habits. But the end result is going to lead to a happy and healthier you!

-------------------

Melissa Pryputniewicz is a graduate student of nutritionist Christine Clark in the MS in Applied Nutrition program through the College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University.

Nutritionist Christine Clark works with Dining Services to provide you with tips and techniques to stay healthy during your time at Northeastern. If you have any further questions about this topic or are looking for more information about any other nutrition or diet topic, such as food allergies or sports nutrition, please contact her at christine.clark2@compass-usa.com.

References:
  1. Norcross J, Mrykalo M, Blagys M. "Auld Lang Syne: Success Predictors, Change Processes and Self-Reported Outcomes of New Year’s Resolvers." Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2002; 58(4): 397-405.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Fish For Your Heart?

Cutting back on red meat is a common recommendation for both health and sustainability. What’s less clear is what we should replace the meat with. A recent study looked at this and the results may surprise you. If not red meat, what? Red meat appears on many lists of foods to eat less of due mostly to its saturated fat and cholesterol content, and the fact that we tend to eat too much of it. A recent study looked at what we should consider substituting for red meat when we follow the advice to cut back. Of all of the substitutions the study looked at, one stood out as the best choice – fish high in omega-3s. The fatty fish showed more benefits for heart health than poultry, unprocessed meat and even lean fish. Is fish safe to eat? Fish, especially the kind that gives us omega-3s, has long been considered a healthy choice. Warnings related to contamination by mercury and other toxins has left many people wondering if fish is safe to eat. For most people, the benefits of eating fish far ...

Superfood: Tomatoes

Fruit or vegetable? It is a fruit that works well as a vegetable! Tomatoes are considered a type of superfood because they are rich in lots of great nutrients. They contain lycopenes, which is an antioxidant that offers a protective effect in the body. Tomatoes are also a great source of vitamin A, E and C, which means tomatoes contain even more antioxidants than just lycopenes. Incorporate tomatoes and tomato products to help boost your immune system as well as promote skin and eye health!    Good News: You should eat pizza!!   Through research at the Harvard School of Public Health, it was determined that consumption of oil- and tomato-based products -- specifically tomato and pizza sauce – there was an association with cardiovascular benefits.  So, choosing 1-2 slices of pizza paired with a side salad can be a healthy meal option.

Cutting the Salt!

Salt is found in more food products than you may realize. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that American's should consume fewer than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day of salt (this is slightly less than 1 teaspoon of salt). Adults age 51 and older, African Americans of any age and people with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should reduce their sodium intake to 1,500 mg a day. These new dietary guidelines emphasize the importance of making meals and snacks from scratch versus choosing processed foods too often. The most common salts available are table salt, sea salt and kosher salt with the major differences among these being taste, texture, and processing. Kosher and sea salt have a larger course grain providing more air space, which in turn provides less sodium when used in place of table salt. The chefs in our kitchen across campus use kosher salt in their recipes to provide an overall reduced amount of sodium. Using items lik...