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Dr. Amy’s Health Tip for January

Amy Walters, PhD - Licensed Psychologist

Goals – It’s that time of year again. The holidays are over and the guilt from the over-indulgences we all tend to engage in has set in. Many of us engage in the annual ritual of setting resolutions to improve our health – lose weight, exercise more often, quit smoking, eat healthier, just to name a few. Although we often start off strong (as I witnessed this morning with a 3 fold increase in attendance at my gym), many of us struggle to maintain our motivation and commitment. We often end up feeling overwhelmed, unsuccessful and apathetic about our abilities to effectively change our health behaviors. BUT HAVE NO FEAR! CHANGING HEALTH BEHAVIORS IS POSSIBLE!

The key is in goal setting. Here are a few tips to help set achievable goals for health behavior change you can actually accomplish:

1. Start small – Small changes can have big effects. Instead of trying to change everything at once, start with one behavior at a time.

2. Be realistic – Set yourself up for success by setting a goal you have a high likelihood of achieving. If you have a lofty goal (ex: losing 20 lbs) break it into small, achievable steps (ex: 1 lb per week).

3. Reward yourself for small successes – Every step in the right direction, no matter how small, will help you achieve your goal. Give yourself a pat on the back or put a quarter in your reward jar each time you do something that supports your goal (ex: taking the stairs, choosing salad over fries, only eating half your entrée at the restaurant).

4. Find a buddy – Enlisting the help of a friend or family member will not only help you stick with your commitment, you will have the added benefit of additional social support. Be sure to tell them exactly what they can do to help you meet your goal (ex: go on a walk together, choose restaurants with healthy choices, leave the ice cream at the store).

5. Forgive yourself for mistakes – Change is a process and relapse into old habits is part of the change cycle. Don’t discount the progress you have made just because you slipped (ex: ate that giant bowl of ice cream before bed, skipped the gym, gained 2 lbs). Mistakes are common and don’t erase the progress you have made. View each day as a new opportunity to make positive choices for your health.

Happy and realistic goal setting!

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