By Karen Hanson on October 11, 2016
Make your anti-resolution
Start your new year without a resolution - yep, you heard us right
We’ve all tried to make resolutions. Whether it’s to lose weight, eat fewer sweets or get more sleep, this year you should throw out the idea of a resolution. It’s so last year.
Be anti-resolution.
We aren’t telling you not to lose a few extra pounds if you’re so inclined, but perhaps train your brain to think of these positive lifestyle changes as a never-ending goal.
Karen Hanson, dietitian for Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, suggests you rethink your health in a way that will create habits.
“Think of ways to make yourself healthier as a lifestyle change, not a resolution,” Hanson says. “Resolutions have a start point, which typically means there’s an end point, which makes it hard to attain.”
According to the University of Scranton, only eight percent of people are successful at achieving their resolution.
Hanson suggests trying to focus on one thing at a time, on a weekly basis.
“Try to make smaller goals that create change in your health and wellness,” she says. “For instance, one week try to be mindful to drink more water, then the next week focus on adding more color in the form of vegetables to your diet. Over time, these smaller goals will add to a new, healthier you.”
Karen offers three small goals to start you off the right way, right now.
Drink more water
No matter where you are, water should always be the first thing you reach for when you're thirsty. Water truly is essential.
Keep sugar and caffeine to a minimum
It's hard to believe, but decreasing sugar actually increases people's energy by minimizing the highs and lows that sweet foods trigger. Different people react differently to caffeine, but most of us are probably overstimulated already -- adding a stimulant just adds to things like road rage.
Don't focus on dieting
Focus on eating. If you're hungry, you're more likely to overeat, especially in the evening. Instead of sacrificing all day and gorging later, it's better to eat enough during the day to avoid hunger pangs and uncontrolled eating at night. Eat every four hours or so, and make sure to eat a "second lunch" -- think of it as another meal rather than a snack -- in the mid-afternoon to keep your energy up and make you less hungry in the evening.
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Karen Hanson
Karen Hanson is a dietitian for the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment. Her role is to promote sound nutrition practices and education for the public. She is a Registered Dietitian and a Certified Exercise Physiologist through the American college of Sports Medicine. Karen and her husband have been... Read more
