Here we go again; another year of making resolutions that we never stick to. Most of us want to be healthy. We want to look good in our clothes and we want to have energy and stamina to live a full and abundant life. But, our new year’s resolutions just aren’t working for us. This year, instead of trying the same thing we tried for years, let’s do something different; something that might actually work. Here are some tips to making some great New Year’s resolutions that will stick and get results.

1. When making a goal, use the words “I choose to” instead of “I will.” We are more likely to do something that we choose to do.

2. Make goals specific. Instead of “I want to lose weight” say “I choose to lose 10 lbs.” Define what it is you actually want.

3. A goal should be measurable so you know if you are on track or not and they need to have a timeframe so you know when you arrive. For example, “I choose to lose 10 lbs by March 5, 2010” can be measured on a weekly basis to see if you are on target and it has a timeframe so you don’t spend the whole year trying to achieve the goal.

4. Goals need to be realistic and achievable. An example of an unrealistic goal is “I choose to lose 10 lbs by Jan. 2, 2010 (when you start on Jan 1st). Give yourself enough time to complete the goal. If you are a 6’ tall, 300 lb man, an unachievable goal would be “I choose to weigh 120 lbs by June 1, 2010.” No 6’ tall man is going to get down to 120 lbs and it would be unhealthy to do so. If you are going to make a weight loss goal, give yourself a week to lose 1 to 2 lbs. To lose 10 lbs, you would need at least 5 to 10 weeks to complete that goal.

5. Give yourself a reward for completing a goal. Don’t reward with food, though. Get a new bike or outfit or treat yourself to a spa or a day off.

6. Make mini goals where you can experience success within a 1 to 3 month period. If you need to lose 100 lbs, don’t write a goal to lose 100 lbs. Break that 100 lbs into 10 lb increments and reward yourself after every 10 lbs lost.

7. Make healthy habit goals instead of weight loss goals. If you’ve tried the weight loss goals and they haven’t worked, try something different that will get the results you want. For example, let’s say you drink 6 soda’s a day. A great goal would be, “I choose to be drinking only 1 soda by March 1, 2010.” The steps you take to achieve that goal would be to drink 6 sodas a day the first week, 5 sodas daily the 2nd week, 4 soda’s a day the 3rd week and so on until you are down to 1 soda a day. You can also make goals to rid your kitchen of processed foods, eat 2 to 3 meals a day instead of snacking, adding exercise to your schedule or whatever habits you need to develop to be healthy.

8. If you finish your goal before the due date, pat yourself on the back, enjoy your reward and write a new goal.

9. If you don’t make your goal by the due date, re-evaluate. Was your goal realistic? Did you eat the right foods? You may need to make a healthy habit goal instead of a weight loss goal. Did you have any success, such as any pounds lost or good habits formed? Pat yourself on the back for any success, no matter how small, and write a new goal incorporating what you discovered in your evaluation. Do not focus on not making the goal. Focus on all the positive changes you are making.

10. If you find you are not losing weight even though your goals are realistic and you are eating the right foods and doing the right amount of exercise, get your thyroid, adrenals and hormones checked. Allergies can prevent weight loss as well.
If you follow the 10 steps above, you will be successful this year with your resolutions. Happy New Year!

Annette Presley RD LD CPT, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness
Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 17 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life. She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.