Solutions for Resolutions in 2014

Don’t wait for 2014 to get here! Start making healthy choices today. Goals help you make a commitment to a behavior change. They help you to stay focused on the direction you want to head. When you have a goal in mind, you can develop a plan for reaching it. Remember that small changes can make a big difference over time. Here are a few simple steps in goal-setting that will help you change the way you make your 2014 New Year’s resolutions.

1. Goals should be Realistic. You need to create goals that are challenging yet realistic. If your ultimate goal is to lose 50 pounds, you should not aim to lose it in 2 months. That time frame is unrealistic and is a setup for failure. When you set goals, make sure they are attainable and realistic.

2. Goals should be Progressive. It is helpful if you break down your ultimate goal into several smaller goals. This allows you to experience mini-successes throughout the year and reinforces the fact that you can indeed stick to an exercise plan and change behaviors in a healthy way.

3. Goals should be Specific. When setting goals, always be very clear about what it is you want. If your goal is to lose weight, state exactly how many pounds you want to lose; if your goal is to improve your eating habits; state specifically how you want to do that. (i.e. eat least 2 servings of fruit everyday)

4. Weekly goals should be Behavioral. Once you have decided on a weight goal and a reasonable amount of time in which you want to lose the weight, any other goals you set should be goals over which you have direct control. For example, don’t say you want to lose 2 pounds per week because you may retain fluid or hit a plateau – which is something you can’t control. Instead, you can control the behaviors that lead to your weight loss. Base your goals on behaviors – things you can control, like many servings of fruit you get a day or how many minutes you exercise a day.

5. Goals should have Specific Start Dates and Accomplish Dates. Determining these dates will help you commit yourself to a time frame and get off the “I’ll start on Monday” track. (i.e. – For the first week in January, I will eat a piece of fruit before I eat a high-calorie snack)

6. Goals should be in Writing and Posted in a Visible Location. Studies show that successful people often have written down their goals. Writing down your goals also makes them more real and tangible. It also helps you make a commitment to the goal. When goals are in writing, you can post them in places to serve as reminders.

7. Goals should be Flexible. Having flexible goals does not mean that you should change a goal every time it gets challenging or difficult. Instead, it means that you can decide that your goal is not fitting into your schedule well and may need to be revised. For example, you wanted to work out for a half hour in the morning before work 3 times per week, however you find that you are more of a night owl than a morning person, so you change the goal to work out for a half hour at night 3 times per week. Set yourself up for success by being flexible with your goals.

Elisabeth D’Alto, RD, LDN is an in-store nutritionist at the Eldersburg MARTIN’S Food Markets located at 1320 Londontown Boulevard. For more Healthy Ideas, visit www.martinsfoods.com/healthyideas.