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Secrets to Successful Resolutions, Part 1
| Filed under: Cardiovascular Health, Lifestyle Change, Health and Wellness with 362 words and 165 views
It's resolution time again. For many of us this will be our time to finally quit smoking, increase cardiac health and fitness or improve our diets for good. For others, it's a time we dread, fearing another year of failure in our plans for self-improvement.
Don't despair. The keys to this year's success are here. Stop seeing your New Year's resolution as a once-and-for-all goal. Recognize that resolutions provide ways to begin the process of change, and you will see amazing improvements in your life.
Before you jump headfirst into a New Year's resolution, follow these steps to make sure this is the year you succeed:
- Start with a single resolution. Promising yourself you'll quit smoking, eat better and lose weight - all at the same time - undermines your chance for success.
- Make the most of your resolution. Saving enough money to buy a flat screen TV may be nice, but it's not going to change your life the way paying off a debt will.
- Pick a single change within the resolution that you believe you can successfully tackle. Instead of telling yourself that to become healthier you will "eat better, lose weight and exercise every day," start with, "I will eat one more vegetable or fruit every day," or "I will walk the dog after work." Add another small goal as you achieve your first one.
- Engage a friend. People who are the most successful at changing anything are those with a strong support network of friends or family who offer encouragement - and hold them accountable (and who might join them).
In the coming posts, I will help you create and implement your plan for a healthier lifestyle. Your feedback is valuable. Please tell me what you'd like to hear in these articles by contacting OU Physicians at 405-271-5067 or email: april-sandefer@ouhsc.edu.
Dr. Franklin is a board certified family medicine specialist. Her areas of special interest include preventive health and wellness and women's and children's health. Her advice has been featured in outlets including The Learning Channel, Parents Magazine and FitPregnancy. For an appointment with Dr. Franklin or any of the OU Physicians Family Medicine physicians, call 405-271-4311
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