Eat My Science!

Evidence-Based Nutrition for Moms

weight loss

5 Surprisingly Simple New Year’s Resolutions for a Healthier 2017

by 3 Comments

Ah, 2017. Nothing like a fresh start. This year I resolve to eat healthier, lose weight, stay on budget, save money, spend more time with my family, travel more, drink less, stress less, and quit smoking.* And like most of us, I will forget these next month.

*I don’t smoke, so I won’t be quitting this year. I probably won’t drink less, either.

5 Powerful New Year's Resolutions for a Healthier 2017The typical “New Year’s Resolution” pattern is obviously flawed. Of the 45% of Americans who set resolutions, only 8% of them reach their goals. Luckily, there are a few tips that can help you reach your goals, and there are some goals that are easier to maintain and have a bigger impact than the standard resolution to “lose weight.”

To increase the likelihood you will reach your goals, start your resolutions with ‘I,’ say them as if they are already true, and be as specific as you can.

“I weight 130 lbs on June 27, 2017” is much more specific than “Lose weight.”

Productivity gurus suggest our subconscious responds to “I” statements with more enthusiasm than “to dos”. When the statement is different from current reality, our subconscious kicks into high gear to close the gap! Use I statements to phrase your resolutions and tell yourself where you WILL be when you reach it!

 

Here are some easy resolutions that can help you reach ALL of the goals you set in 2017.

 

Your 2017 New Year’s Resolutions

  1. Drink more water

“I drink 96 oz of water a day”

While health officials debate the amount of water we need, water is essential to our daily metabolism. Even mild dehydration can cause negative effects such as fatigue, headaches, decreased mood, and lower concentration. Studies show greater water intake increases weight loss in controlled groups, so whether your resolution is to lose weight or to feel better and be more effective in your life, drink more water!

  1. Get more sleep

“I sleep 7 hours a night”

It’s no secret that sleep is important. Yet the majority of us don’t get enough. With all the items on our to-do lists, sleep is often the thing that gets pushed aside. What if you could take a pill to work smarter and faster, allowing you to get everything done and still have enough time to sleep? Guess what – you don’t need a pill. You just need the sleep! Studies show getting enough sleep (7 – 9 hours for adults) enhances performance and productivity. This year try to pencil in more sleep time for yourself, and you may achieve many more goals in addition to your New Year’s resolutions!

  1. Hug more!

“I give at least 5 hugs a day.”

Most of us live in touch-phobic societies. We keep our distance from one another, rarely hugging or touching at all the people we see daily. Physical contact is very important, though. A simple touch causes the body to release hormones such as oxytocin, the “feel-good” hormone, and can reduce blood pressure, heart rate, and stress. It can also boost your immune system and improve mood. The effects of touch are not just limited to humans, either. Giving your dog a great big hug counts! So this year, try to reach out and touch those around you more. You’ll be happier and less stressed, and your hug may be just the thing your huggee needed to get through the day.

  1. Allow yourself to be human

“I forgive myself.”

I am human and I assume you are too. We make decisions ALL DAY LONG, thousands in a day. If occasionally we are less than perfect and make a choice that flies directly in the face of our resolutions or goals, THAT IS OK!! Make the decision right then and there to forgive yourself and move on to the next decision. The negative talk should not be tolerated from anyone in our lives, and that includes from ourselves. One of my favorite bloggers has a great post on this: read it here from Amanda at Dirt and Boogers! Allow yourself to make mistakes, then allow yourself to move on. This will keep you focused on making good choices in 2017!

  1. Be more informed

“I subscribe to Eat My Science!”

Knowledge is power. We tend to take information, especially regarding our food and nutrition, at face value. We trust that the people (and corporations) who “know” about this stuff will give us accurate information. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. Our health as a population is declining, which means we are doing something wrong. Your personal health is now your own responsibility, and you need someone you can trust to help you sort through all the information out there today. Resolve to become a better-informed consumer by subscribing to Eat My Science! In 2017 we will journey together to become smarter and healthier.

I love setting new goals for the year – the beginning of the year seems like the perfect time to reflect on the past year and plan for the upcoming. This year was especially satisfying for me because the first of the year was on a Sunday. That gave me a strange sense of satisfaction. 

Do you make new year’s resolutions or new goals for the year? I’d love to hear what health goals you have set and how I can help you achieve them in 2017! Post in the comments below!

Sources:

http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22190027

http://www.neurology.org/content/64/7/E25.long

How to Use Instant Gratification for Weight Loss

by 14 Comments

I stood on the scale in the pale, sterile exam room and slowly lowered my head to read the dreaded display. My polite half-smile melted away as evil numbers made my heart pound and my cheeks hot.

Why is it that when I get weighed at the doctor’s office it’s more painful? At home or in the gym, my weight is just a number, like an old, annoying friend.

But at the doctor’s office, that stupid number betrays my weaknesses. It’s the tattle tale that tells my doctor I haven’t done anything for my body in the 12 months since I was last here.

“So, you’ve gained some weight…” the doctor says innocently, but I feel the daggers of blame piercing the flabby parts of my body.

The guilt can be unbearable, as if the President of the United States gave me one simple job to do but I got stuck on Facebook and didn’t do it. Now I sit in the over-lit, scorching oval office for the State of the Union Address, the camera’s on, and sweat pours down my face as the whole country wants to know why I suck so bad.

Guilty and ashamed when you give your doctor excuses for now losing weight

Then I let the excuses fly, and even I don’t believe them as they bounce off the white, antiseptic-smelling walls.

“We moved and I hurt my knee and then the kids started school and I changed jobs and eating healthy is so expensive and we just got back from vacation…”

But all the best excuses in the world say the same thing:

My health is not a priority.

WHOA. Back up there a minute. I think about health and fitness and weight and EATING all the time, so don’t tell me it’s not a priority!!

Oh no. Suddenly I’m a cartoon coyote and all I can do is stand there while the falling anvil crushes my soul to the ground.

It’s true. The hours tick by and there are so many other things that are more urgent. And more fun. And taste better. Damn it all. Why is weight loss so hard? Two words.

Instant Gratification

 

How to use instant gratification for weight loss. Sure, eat a donut. Make a goal to eat just one instead of five.

 

I have a set of white blinds in the window above the sink in my kitchen. They have a layer of grease, dust, and splashed soap and food covering them.

Every time I deep clean the kitchen I want to scrub them, but that would take about 3 hours on its own, and I don’t have time.

I have a great plan, though. If I clean 2 slats a week, it will be done within 3 months.

I’ve been saying this for about 5 years. I never clean even 2 slats.

Does this sound familiar? Why do we do this?

The answer is in our brains.

When we receive an immediate reward, the reward center of our brain dances. It feels good.

When we do something with a delayed reward, we don’t get that same high.

So the job is too big to do all at once, cleaning 2 slats doesn’t get the job done, and there is no benefit that I can recognize right away.  So I never do it.

Unfortunately, working out is exactly like this for most of us.

Oh sure, tell me there are “endorphins” and the “runner’s high” and blah, blah, blah.

This is true, but when you haven’t been working out, that first few times just suck. It hurts. It’s hard. And there are no immediate rewards. Your fun brain is not dancing.

And of course, food is even tougher.

Food gives instant gratification, and certain foods (donuts, anyone?) make the brain dance more than others. It’s hard to fight such a great reward.

Even when we have a goal, an image, a skinnier version of us in our minds, it is almost impossible to overcome the lack of instant gratification in a long, slow weight loss program.

So, here’s the trick:

Get instant gratification from daily goals

When I lay my head on the cool, fluffy pillow at night, when the quiet air allows my mind to think through the day, I often hear things like “I can’t believe I ate all those Cheez-its. And I was going to go to the gym, but I worked on writing that article too long and it needed to get done. Oh well.”

But when I meet even a small daily goal (and on hard days I set teeny ones), I hear things like “I’m so glad I met my goal today. I am going to do that tomorrow and go to the gym!”

Success is addictive. Quick wins are like cigarettes. One leads to another, which leads to another, and next thing you know, you are addicted and your body gags when you don’t get that fix.

Except the result is a healthier body instead of lung cancer.

Quick wins through daily goal setting is the key to achieving long-term weight loss goals

There are many ways a food journal can help you be healthier. My food journal has a section for setting daily goals. This is how I trick my brain into dancing.

Bite Me Food Journal in Action - daily goal setting, drink enough water

Here are 5 examples of small goals I use for quick wins.

  1. Eat only one donut instead of 5
  2. Substitute one sugary beverage with water instead
  3. Eat breakfast
  4. Eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal
  5. Fill out my food journal all day

Set small daily goals to get instant gratification and bragging rights. So the next time your doctor is shooting blame daggers at your flab, you can say with confidence that most days you work on at least one thing to be healthier, whether the scale shows it or not. So there.



Tired of following someone else’s diet?

Find out how to feed your own body – start by downloading your FREE Bite Me Food Journal!

Marketing by