With every new year comes new opportunities, new challenges and for many people it comes in the form of New Year’s resolutions hoping to spark positive change.
If you are one of those people, Abdurahman Kenny, Mental Health Portfolio Manager for Pharma Dynamics said: “Making New Year’s resolutions often involves self-reflection, which in general is good practice if done in a constructive way.
“However, the reality is that for many, the past year may have been discouraging and fraught with difficulty. Those dealing with depression, troubling life events, loss of a loved one, divorce or lack of self-esteem, may find themselves spiralling into patterns of negative thought as their problems or perceived imperfections consume their thinking. The added pressure of setting and failing to keep to New Year’s resolutions may exacerbate feelings of worthlessness.
“When resolutions involve making significant behaviour changes, it adds a huge amount of extra stress and pressure, which increases our cortisol (stress hormone) levels. When we fail, we tend to punish ourselves for our perceived shortcomings. This makes us feel inadequate and worse than when we started.”
For those who want to stay true to the tradition, Kenny recommends making small, realistic changes rather than setting unattainable goals.
“For example, if you’re wanting to lose weight, make healthy eating your goal as opposed to losing a certain amount of weight by a certain date. By focusing on a concept – whether it’s becoming healthier, being more adventurous or spending more quality time with your loved ones, you’re bound to achieve it if that’s where you put your focus.”
“So many resolutions are focused on what you’re doing wrong or what you need to change about yourself, which can be damaging. Instead, focus on your strengths and how you can use these to create the life you want. Be kind to yourself by celebrating the progress you have made and how far you’ve come. Let your successes motivate you to keep moving forward,” Kenny said.
When it comes to New Year's resolutions, Forbes says, come February 1, only 25% of people stay committed to their resolutions. By December, only 8% accomplished them.
Herbalife Nutrition has some tips to maintain or start exercising by being patient with yourself. “It will take a while to create a new habit. The more you practise healthy habits, the more you will get used to them, and before you know it, they will become second nature.
“It’s not going to be a quick, easy journey. It’s going to take time, dedication, and commitment. The urge to slip back into old habits will probably arise more than once on your journey to a healthier self. But don’t give up and don’t feel discouraged if you have a bad day. As long as you keep trying, those healthy habits will come back!”
If you are looking at making healthy eating habits, Shelly Bowien, registered dietitian at Alex Royal Dietetics gave us the following great advice.
Snack healthily
It’s so easy to grab a bag of chips or a bar of chocolate when you’re bored or peckish in the house and haven’t had time to prepare healthy snacks. Or, you may think that snacking on a lot of fruit (which is very high in sugar), is the healthy choice? Ideally, Bowien says that you should be filling up on vegetable-based snacks, which help you to control the calories and also keep your blood sugar quite level.
She says meal preparation and planning your meals properly helps with food wastage and managing your budget, but mostly ensures that you eat healthy and delicious meals in the week ahead.
On a Saturday or Sunday, sit down and plan at least your main meals for each day in the upcoming week. “Write down all the ingredients you’ll need, head to the shops, chop, peel and rinse all your vegetables and store them ready in glass containers. Vegetables that last long in the fridge include: carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, beetroot, green beans, baby marrows, onions, garlic, ginger, and kimchi (among others),” Bowien says.
When it comes to the gym, Botle Kayamba, a fitness trainer and owner of Botle Fitness – an organisation that teaches people about healthy lifestyle – says people should stay committed to the decision of going to the gym.
These are her tips:
Don’t be afraid to ask
People injure themselves because they are afraid to ask. People can avoid injury by asking from the people at the gym.
Focus on your goal
Don’t compare yourself with people who have been gyming for years. Focus on yourself and your goals and learn to be patient when it comes to progress.
Enjoy the process slowly and build on it
Remember why you started.
Stay motivated, be real, it’s a gradual process.