Advice on sticking to New Year's resolutions

Joel Strickland had to lose weight.

He had become so overweight and his diabetes had gotten to the point that his doctor told him he had to change his ways fast or his life would be at risk. So, the 64-year-old former Marine cut the sugar out of his diet and eventually began working with a trainer.

Since 2009, Strickland has gone from 350 pounds to 170 pounds.

“You can recapture a lot of that youth you thought you’d lost,” Strickland said.

This time of year, many people have goals of losing weight and getting healthy. Both are common New Year’s resolutions along with others like quitting smoking and saving money. We resolve to do better. Get the excess weight off. Start an exercise routine. Quit smoking. Start recycling. Save money. Often, we start out strong. But too often, our resolve fades as the year moves on, and we vow to try again next year.

But you can stick to your New Year’s resolution whatever it may be this year.

Take quitting smoking or losing weight. Experts recommend some of the same actions to be successful – make a plan, be accountable, have a support system. And if you slip, pick yourself back up. It doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel for the year.

“I think one of the most common mistakes is it becomes an all-or-nothing thing,” said Jaime Sharp, a dietician with Flowers Hospital. “What we encourage is set small attainable goals. Set a goal and work on it a week or two, and then move onto something else.”

For example, if sweets are your thing then designate two days in the week to indulge your sweet tooth. You don’t want to eat the whole cake, mind you, but a slice is OK, Sharp said.

So, to help you accomplish your New Year’s resolutions, we got some tips from experts.

Weight loss

Yes, an extreme diet can help you shed the pounds, but experts said eating a nutritionally-balanced diet is the only way to keep excess weight off and be healthy.

First, be realistic. You may want to weigh what you did in high school, but it’s probably not a healthy or realistic goal. Weight loss of one to two pounds a week is considered healthy. Next, you may have to educate yourself a little on what eating healthy really means.

“I think we get a lot of conflicting information,” said Jan Largess, a registered nurse and team leader of the employee health and wellness program at Southeast Alabama Medical Center. “If we don’t like what we weigh and we’re in a rut, then we need to change some behavior to change that. We’ve just got some habits to break, and it needs to start at the grocery store.”

Stay away from mayonnaise and ranch dressings, Largess said. Get rid of the sodas and sweet drinks and limit your alcohol intake. Instead, drink more water.

People drink a lot of calories without realizing, Sharp said. Make it a rule, she said, that when you eat out, you will only drink water. It’s not only healthier, it’s cheaper (Which can help if your New Year’s resolution is to save money.)

Also, Sharp said, don’t set your calorie level too low. There are Internet resources that can you help you determine how many calories you need each day.

Make sure you get non-starchy vegetables with both lunch and dinner. And try to use natural herbs and spices when cooking for flavoring. Avoid frying food, Sharp said. Largess suggests eating light, frequent meals. A meal should have at least two vegetables, one carb and one lean protein.

Both Largess and Sharp suggested keeping a food diary to track what you eat.

“Eighty to 90 percent of what you weight is what you’re putting in your mouth,” Largess said.

But eating healthy is only half the battle.

Getting fit

When it comes to resolving to exercise, your first victory is simply showing up.

“I think you need to make the resolution,” said Anthony Eubanks, director of physical therapy and Living Well gym at Southeast Alabama Medical Center. “I think you just need to put some things in place to get into a regular habit of exercise and eating healthier.”

A common mistake people make, according to Eubanks, is giving up too soon because they feel they can’t commit completely to it or can’t physically maintain a beneficial pace. Eubanks said any amount of exercise is better than none. Over time, your stamina should improve. Picking a time of day that’s most convenient with your schedule will also help you stay with an exercise routine.

“The biggest thing is to show up and get started,” Eubanks said. “People beat themselves up so much for not going (to the gym) five times a week. I think you’ve got to reward yourself for going in there two or three times a week.”

Joel Capra, a trainer and owner of Xtreme Fitness in Dothan, worked with Joel Strickland to help him get fit. Capra said people new to exercise shouldn’t try to do too much at once. Teaming up with someone like a spouse or a neighbor to exercise can be a great accountability tool, he said.

But most important, Capra said, is finding an exercise routine that you enjoy.

“If you like what you’re doing, you’ll do it,” Capra said. “If you hate it, you won’t.”

Quitting smoking

The average smoker attempts to quit seven times before succeeding.

That’s a statistic most people who work in tobacco cessation often repeat. Diane Beeson, director of the tobacco control branch for the Alabama Department of Public Health, has another statistic. Thirty-five percent of the people who use the state’s tobacco quit line (1-800-QUITNOW) were able to quit smoking once and for all. There’s a web version as well for those who prefer: www.alabamaquitnow.com.

And, it’s all free.

Callers are connected with a professional counselor who will help them develop a quit plan. The plan may include four weeks of nicotine replacement therapy patches depending on the level of tobacco addiction.

Quitting smoking is a resolution that can impact so many others. It can make you healthier. You should also see an improvement in your stamina. And with the cost of some tobacco brands climbing higher and higher, quitting will definitely save you money.

But, it can be one of the most difficult resolutions to keep.

“It’s a physical need as well as behavioral,” Beeson said.

Her advice? Change your routine. If you normally wake up and have a cigarette with coffee, change your morning routine so you’re not tempted.

“Basically, don’t put yourself in the same situations where you are triggered to use tobacco,” Beeson said.

Support is important, Beeson said, whether it’s through a community of other quitters or your family. And, Beeson and Largess said, don’t beat yourself up if you falter.

“If you fall off the wagon and have a cigarette, it’s not the end of the world,” Largess said. “Go back on the plan and keep working on it.”