Make Your Ridiculous New Year’s Resolutions Reasonable
By Amanda Ogle
We all make New Year’s resolutions and, more often than not, they’re unattainable, which sets us up for failure. Here are four common resolutions—aka deceptions—and how to make them more achievable.
Deception #1: I don’t drink caffeine any more.
So, you’ve experienced the negative effects of caffeine, like insomnia and restlessness, and you’ve made a resolution to stop drinking caffeine altogether. While you get a pat on the back for dreaming big, you also get an eye roll for tackling something bigger than you are. In this day and age, most of us work endless hours with barely enough time to scarf down lunch. Caffeine is what helps us stay awake throughout the day, and completely cutting it out of your life can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, irritability and low energy. Instead of cutting out caffeine completely, do yourself (and the innocent people around you) a favor and start smaller—eliminate one cup of java a day. After a while, you can eliminate another cup, and another, until you’re drinking none at all. To squelch cravings, good alternatives are caffeine-free chamomile and peppermint teas.
Deception #2: From now on, it’s healthy food only.
Congratulations! You’ve realized that stuffing your gullet with cake, pizza, Tex-Mex, soda and junk food isn’t the way to get fit. Props for wanting to eat healthier, but swearing off all bad food is the quickest way to end up overeating, binging and racking up another broken resolution. Instead, take small steps toward creating a better diet. Eat at the table rather than in front of the TV, so you’re conscious about every bite you take. Replace regular potato chips with baked chips. Swap soda with flavored, sparkling water until you get the hang of lemon water. There are lots of ways to eat better, just make sure you don’t totally deprive yourself, or you’ll end up derailing your hard work.
Deception #3: I’m going to work out 5-6 days a week.
Regular exercise is important for weight loss. But vowing to work out almost every day when you normally spend all your time on the couch is like taking the express lane to failure. Add in busy schedules, carpooling kids and errands, and you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. If you haven’t been working out at all, start small with three workouts a week, then build to four, five and six days a week once you’ve mastered a schedule. Don’t forget that activities like playing outside with your kids count as exercise, too. Ike Shaw, owner of Titan Total Training in Temple, encourages getting kids involved in workouts. “Kids are followers, and they look up to adults, so we need to give them good habits,” he says. Shaw’s gym has a 2,000-square-foot kids’ zone, and exercise classes geared toward children are in the works.
Deception #4: I’ll lose 40 pounds in two months.
Probably the biggest resolution flop is setting a too-big weight-loss goal. Yes, it’s great to set goals and strive for a healthier body, but setting a large goal with a short deadline can lead to failure. Plus, losing too much weight quickly almost always leads to gaining it all back faster than you lost it. Set smaller goals that are easier to achieve. Losing a few pounds a month is a reasonable goal that won’t shock your body into hanging onto fat for dear life. Be consistent and don’t beat yourself up if you miss the mark a bit (hello, weight-loss plateau). Your body, mind—and probably your abused, confused digestive system—will thank you.
