The BEST Resolutions for 2012

If you are already finding it tough to keep your New Year’s resolutions perhaps it is time to re-evaluate and make resolutions that are achievable. These suggestions from the National Heart and Lung Blood Alliance has some GREAT tips for how to make resolutions that are reasonable AND how to keep them. Sometimes baby steps are the key. Here’s to a healthier 2012 – one small step at a time!

                      

3 Simple Steps To Make Healthy Resolutions You’ll Keep

While it’s easy to make New Year’s resolutions such as “lose weight” or “get more sleep,” it can be hard to keep them. This year try designing a series of simple and achievable resolutions that you can focus on over the course of the entire year.

To craft successful resolutions, make sure they have three simple characteristics.

Make sure they are:

• Specific
• Attainable (doable)
• Forgiving (less than perfect)

For example, “be more physically active” is a great resolution. But it’s not specific.

• “Walk 5 miles every day” is specific and measurable. But it may not be doable if you’re just starting out.
• “Walk 30 minutes every day.” This resolution is specific and it’s more doable. But what happens if you’re held up at work one day and there’s a thunderstorm during your walking time another day? Thus this resolution is not forgiving.
• “Walk 30 minutes, 3 or more days each week.” This resolution is specific, doable, and forgiving. In short, it’s just right!

6 New Year’s Resolutions To Try

Here are examples of healthy resolutions that are specific, attainable, and forgiving. Choose from this list, or make your own resolutions. Remember, the best New Year’s resolutions are the ones you will keep!

1. Have a meatless dinner 1 day a week.

2. Try a new grain once a month.

3. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier 2 nights a week.Try a new heart healthy substitution each week.

4. Make one substitution.

Substitution suggestions:

• Low-fat or fat-free milk instead of whole milk.
• Plain, low-fat yogurt or fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream.
• Reduced- or low-fat cheese instead of regular cheese.
• Whole-grain pasta instead of regular pasta.
• Brown rice instead of white rice.
• 100 percent whole-grain bread instead of white bread.
• A hearty bean soup instead of stew.
• Broiled or baked fish instead of other meats.
• Extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey instead of regular ground beef.

5. Take a family walk after dinner 1 day a week.

6. Turn off the TV during meals 3 days a week.