Studies show that 92 percent of Australians ditch their vows by the end of January.
The typically made (and broken) ones — lose 5 kilos, drop a dress size, exercise more and eat healthier– don’t keep you motivated over the long term. Why? They’re external ( more focused on guilt and how you want others to see you than on having fun and feeling healthier).
And research shows that people who make health changes to feel good follow through more often than those who make changes to look good. Plus, when you don’t reach your look-great goals as quickly as you’d like, you get discouraged. Regular victories are vital to wanting to stick with anything. So by resolving to perform a certain action — rather than get a certain result — you’ll get a little high each and every time you follow through.
The result: You’ll stick with your resolution. And in the end, you will achieve that smaller number on the scale you’ve been vying for.
So below I will outline 5 easy-to-follow actions that will turn your health around for years to come.
- Cut Refined Carbs Carbs aren’t the enemy, however refined carbs (like white bread, white sugar, and most sweets) have been stripped of their macro nutrient content and reduced to a simple sugar that your body quickly digests. The result? You blood sugar spikes, your body pumps out tons of insulin to get the sugar into your cells, your blood sugar plummets, you get sleepy, and any sugar the insulin didn’t deal with gets converted into fat — typically around your belly.Complex carbohydrates like whole grains and veggies are best . They are your body’s main source of fibre, keep you energised, and can have a positive effect on your moods.
Action: Make the change to whole grains. But don’t go overboard even with healthy grains, as we are eating about 50 percent more grains than we should. Grains — even whole ones — should only take up about a quarter of your plate. The rest of your carbs should come from fruits and veggies and take up half of your plate.
2. Start Strength Training
If you think the weight room is for boys and will give you big muscles think again. It’s for results. Lifting weights gives you an edge over belly fat, heart disease, and even cancer. And no ladies, you won’t bulk up, you’ll actually slim down. Ladies simply don’t have the testosterone to build boyish muscles. Not to mention that strength training burns 40 percent more fat than cardio. Adding lean muscles will rev your metabolism and keep you burning more calories all day long, even when you aren’t in the gym. As if that weren’t enough reason to pick up a dumbbell, it turns out pumping iron will help fight that stress. People with the greatest muscle mass maintain better blood pressure levels during stressful situations.
Action: You should be lifting weights three to four times a week. Start things off with light weights and concentrate on your form/posture, and then start adding on more weight to push the intensity. weight. That pace will keep you burning fat and toning up without sacrificing form or putting you at risk of injury.
3. Stop Sitting So Much
In case you haven’t heard, sitting is bad for you. Really bad. It can contribute to weight gain, diabetes, cancer, and early death . Adults who sit 11 or more hours per day have a 40 percent increased risk of dying in the next three years compared with those who sat for fewer than four hours a day, according to a study of more than 200,000 people published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
Action: Since I don’t recommend storming out of your office in protest, it’s time you become an “active sitter.” Try swapping your swivel chair for an exercise/swiss ball, It will force you to sit up straight to maintain balance, the whole time strengthening your core. When you take calls, stand up and walk around if you can, and make indoor meetings walking ones. And when you get home from work, try to include a fun activity with your kids or pets, don’t just sit on the couch!
4. Dump Your Diet Soft Drink Addiction
Think you aren’t addicted? Think again. When French researchers hooked rats on cocaine and then gave them a choice between a cocaine fix or a nibble of saccharine (a popular diet drink sweetener), most went for the saccharine. And the drug of choice comes with its own set of side effects: In a 2011 study from the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, participants who averaged two diet sodas a day over about nine years experienced an increase in waist circumference five times greater than those who didn’t drink diet sodas. Why? To your body, consuming artificial sweeteners is like hitting the accelerator with no gas. Your brain gets let down when the sweet stuff has zero energy to offer, and makes you crave — and eat — more food (especially sweets) throughout the day.
Action: “If you are going to give up diet soft drinks, have something to turn to. Find another drink you like, like flavoured water. Tea can also be a great option. It packs antioxidants to help keep your weight — and health — in check, while also offering up some of that caffeine you might be craving.
5. Shun Even the Occasional Smoke
“I’m not a smoker, but I have a cigarette every now and then.” If that sounds like you, it’s time to wise up. “You are either a smoker or a non-smoker. The effects of smoking on the respiratory and cardiovascular system are cumulative. The rate of damage will be slower if you rarely smoke, but it will still be a problem. In fact, women who smoke occasionally — even less than every week — live up to six years less on average than true non-smokers. Just one cigarette increases the stiffness of the arteries by 25 percent.
Action: First things first: Stop thinking of yourself as a non-smoker. Once you accept that “being able to stop anytime you want to” doesn’t bar you from smoking’s effects, you are more likely to stop smoking entirely. Chew gum to keep your mouth busy, and if you usually smoke when you drink, consider reducing the size of your drink order until you completely kick the habit. It’s no secret that alcohol will does not increase your will power.
Be sure to write your Goals/Resolutions down on a piece of paper and keep them somewhere that you will read them daily.
Resolve to Make Realistic Resolutions
Now select the areas you want to improve in 2021 and write a “realistic resolution” for each. Be as specific as possible and make sure your resolution can be measured and tracked.
- Post the resolution where it can be seen daily—on the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, or computer screen saver.
- Find a buddy or pal who can assist as a mentor.
- Set up a reward system for yourself. For example, every week that you meet your resolution, put a dollar in the resolution jar. When it reaches $20, treat yourself.
- And face the facts that there will be setbacks but that doesn’t mean failure.
- Stay focused on all the positive aspects that you have already accomplished.
Yours in health,
Dirk
About the Author:
Dirk Hansen has been a health & wellness professional and writer for DirksHealth for over 30 years.
You can learn more about us and what we do by calling 9365 7033 or emailing Dirk at dirk1@dirkshealth.com.au