New Year, New You
New Year's resolutions date back, way back.
With the start of each new harvest year, the Babylonians made oaths to the gods that they would pay their debts and return borrowed objects, according to A&E Network's History.
If the Babylonians failed to keep their promise, they lost the gods' favor.
The tradition of annual oath-making has evolved over the years, from ancient Romans to early Christians to today's Twitter celebrities.
“A lot of people make New Year's resolutions primarily because of an external event that happens,” said Carole Boes, employee assistance coordinator for Butler Health System.
It's one thing to make a resolution.
It's another to keep it.
But even if your resolutions slip now and then, they're still achievable.
“Success isn't always a linear process,” Boes said. “It's really about deciding where you want to go.”
New Year's resolutions can be anything, but Americans have three perennial favorites: to lose weight, to exercise more and to quit smoking.Patti Kuniak, licensed dietitian and BHS lifestyle coach, suggests to clients that they take time at New Year's to pause.“New Year's might be a good time to reflect on your past year,” Kuniak said.By assessing past strengths and weaknesses, people can set a game plan for the future.Boes agreed with this procedure. Having a plan in place before tackling a resolution increases a person's likelihood of success.Goals need to be defined and measurable. It's important to change the “external event” that springboards a resolution into an “intrinsic motivation.”“It makes it easier when you're trying to maintain your energy,” Boes said.
Healthy weight loss includes many things, like nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management and behavior modifications.“It's really a multidimensional approach,” Kuniak said.She usually suggests her clients begin their weight loss journey with a physical. Basic blood work will provide insight on existing health conditions and a blueprint for dietary needs.“Now, we look at plates,” Kuniak said. “You have to change what you eat.”If a well-rounded meal was mapped out on a 9-inch plate, 50 percent would be a non-starch vegetable, 25 percent would be protein and 25 percent would be whole grains. Fruit for dessert and milk are considered acceptable accompaniments.One thing many people don't understand is the lasting relationship between weight loss and calorie intake.The less someone weighs, the less he or she needs to eat because there is less of their body to fuel.Kuniak advises clients to begin their weight loss by aiming to lose 5 percent to 10 percent of their body weight.“I always tell people to hang out there for a few months,” Kuniak said. “You can always build on it.”The key is small changes over time, she said. Set a goal, reach it, maintain it, then move on to another.“The slower you take off the weight, the less you will derail your metabolism,” Kuniak said.
Eating nutritiously is important, but exercising is imperative.“Weight loss with diet alone and no exercise increases frailty,” Kuniak said. “Muscle is the most metabolically active (part) of your body.”Kuniak said health experts recommend about 300 minutes of exercise a week for weight loss.For general heart health, people should participate in 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week.It's OK to start slow.“Anything that is in 10-minute bouts or more counts,” Kuniak said. “Make it a habit.”Filling out a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire can help a person decide if it's safe to make changes in activity levels. The seven-question PAR-Q can be found online from sources such as the National Academy of Sports Medicine.Exercise should include both cardio and strength training workouts done several times a week.“It's hard,” Kuniak said. “But it's vital.”It's better to overshoot instead of undershoot on weight loss or exercise goals, according to Boes.Lofty goals present a bigger challenge and require more dedication — something that can be channeled as motivation.
Of all the habits New Year's resolutions seek to break, smoking might be the toughest.“It is very different,” said Becky Compton, a registered nurse. “It's an addiction.”Compton, who is a former smoker, began leading a smoking cessation class Monday through BHS aimed at helping smokers overcome their addictions.Freedom from Smoking is a seven-week, eight-session course that provides participants with information and resources for preparing to quit.The sessions instruct smokers on the physical, mental and social aspects of smoking.At the fourth session, they sign a contract and choose to quit.Completing the program takes work. But there are elements in place to make the transition better. Smokers are paired together and develop a support system to help them through quitting and withdrawal.“It's just support,” Compton said. “It's more about identifying your reasons to want to quit.”Smokers will learn to recognize why they want to quit, plan a course of action and implement smoking substitutes. The program is open to any smoker — including smokers who have tried quitting before.“Just because you couldn't quit doesn't mean you can't quit,” Compton said. “You've just got to keep trying.”One of the things Freedom from Smoking teaches is substances that can be used to replace cigarettes. Nicotine patches, gum, lozenges and nasal spray are available in pharmacies.Prescribed medications might be necessary in some cases. Many smokers who have concerns about blood pressure or other conditions should talk to their doctors before the quitting process.Like breaking any habit, quitting smoking comes with opportunities to “slip up.”But there are ways to deal with momentary setbacks, according to Compton. React to the situation like it's an emergency: Take immediate action by throwing away any cigarettes, leaving the scene or reviewing reasons to quit.Patience is vital.“Remind yourself that it's just a mistake,” Compton said. “Not a total relapse.”Quitting smoking is largely about replacing behavior with behavior. One thing Compton suggests to smokers trying to quit is they replace their first cigarette of the day with something like drinking coffee.Breaking old habits by building new ones helps with success long-term.Freedom from Smoking is free for participants this time around due to a grant. Compton encourages smokers to register by calling 724-284-4256.“What's the worst that could happen?” Compton challenged.
When it comes to meeting a challenge, Boes has an image she likes to set in people's minds.She tells those who are trying to reach a goal to think of progress as the teeth of a saw, not an arrow flying straight.There are ups and downs, but they all lead to the same point.Motivation is when importance meets confidence, according to Kuniak — when a person recognizes the importance of a situation and has the confidence to act on it. There are tricks that can help people maintain motivation, like interesting workouts and supportive social networks.Losing weight, exercising and quitting smoking are easier tasks when done in a group. Compton stresses with her students the importance of having support and information available along the way.Several seminars offered by BHS provide both.Funded by the BHS Physician Hospital Organization and a federal grant, they offer free health instruction on topics ranging from menu planning to living with diabetes. Events are listed at www.butlerhealthsystem.org/Events/Classes.aspx.Achieving New Year's resolutions is about following a process. If you break your process, be forgiving.“One behavior at a time,” Kuniak said. “Everything you do is a permanent change.”
