Posted by:
Maya Mohan, Department of Public Health
Maya is the Physical Activity Coordinator for DPH, and a maker of New Year's Resolutions.
You know what I’m talking about: we make these lofty goals at the beginning of every year. We try to overhaul our lives with an unrealistic idea of being “healthier”.
I personally believe that resolutions can be a good thing. Every New Year, we’re given a clean slate. We get the chance to check in with ourselves and to make changes that can make our lives better. And we really want to make those changes.
Then why is it so hard to stick with them? A few reasons-- they’re not realistic, they’re too hard to do, and they’re not specific enough.
My own resolution is “to work out 3 or 4 times a week for 45 minutes before work.” I’ll be honest, there have been times when it’s practically blizzarding out, and it’s all I can do just to walk the 10 minutes to my T-stop. But, for the most part I’ve been pretty good with sticking with it.
For one thing, I make a plan—I know how many times a week, when, and for how long I’m going to be active. Then, to make it easier on myself, I make my lunch and pack my bag the night before - this gives me an extra 15 minutes of sleep in the morning! And last but not least, I have a lot of support from friends and family.
If you’re having trouble sticking to your New Year’s Resolution, try this:
Revisit. Is your resolution vague? “I’m going to be more active this year.” What does that really mean? Try something more specific like “I’m going to walk for 20 minutes at lunch on 3 days a week.” This will help you be clear about your goal.
Rephrase. Are you trying to do too much too soon? For example, I don’t run. So, for me to have a resolution that “I’ll run 5 days a week for 30 minutes” is unrealistic— and I could hurt myself. Sure, I’d try it for a week. Then, after blowing my knees out, I’m pretty much going to be all set with that resolution. Rephrase your resolution to gently push you a little bit past your current activity level. A better resolution for me is “I will combine fast walking and slow jogging for 15 minutes, 3 times per week”. Once I get the hang of that, then I can increase the time as needed. When I think of it like this, I feel sure that I can do it.
Refocus. Are you bored with your resolution? Remember, this is basically a commitment we’re making. So, make it fun! Find an event to “train” for (like fun-runs, walks, bike rides, etc). Many of these events raise money for charity - so, you’ll be helping a good cause while helping yourself!
Request help. It’s really hard to change a habit all by yourself. Tell a coworker about your resolution. Encourage a friend to join you while you train for your first charity 5K fun run. Ask a friend or family member to give you a little push when you don’t feel like sticking to it.
It’s not easy to get a new habit to “stick.” But, you CAN do it. When you’ve gotten the hang of one small habit (like, getting off the T one stop before your normal stop), try another one. Keep adding to it, and before you know it, you won’t need January 1st to come around before making your next resolution.
What are you doing that helps to stick to your resolutions? I’d love to hear about it!
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