How to stick to your resolutions

What you need to know:

  • This year, instead of proclaiming something as sweeping as a no-sugar diet or swearing off all alcohol until 2020, there is a more effective way to structure those resolutions.

It is that time of year when many people reflect on their lives and make goals for self-improvement. While it is very easy to make resolutions, it is not as easy to keep them. Watch out for the following so you will not fall victim of failure.

Eat healthier
You have probably been eating junk food in the past year and want to resort to eating healthier by cooking your own meals or even packing your food while going to work.
According to Amanda Tumwebaze, a freelance nutritionist, this instant resolution can be hard to keep because people set their goals too high. She says, “After a few months you may feel you are putting too much restriction and are bound to fail. It is better that you set the bar at eating in moderation because this is more attainable and strive to gradually eat better with time.”

Lose weight
The resolution is one of the most common yet often broken because it is after a season of binge eating and drinking. Tumwebaze remarks that many people start by fasting and starving themselves which might affect their health because they are doing it without professional advice or exercise.
Even those that get gym subscription often lose the morale and motivation after two or three months. It is important to set small achievable targets with a given time limit.

Reduce stress
By the end of last year, you were so stressed and much as you plan to cut out stress, for some people it is unavoidable. It is therefore important for you to learn better ways of handling stress.
Dr Kizito Wamala, a clinical psychologist at Centre for Victims of Torture, says, “Do not procrastinate your work tasks in favour of more pleasurable activities because you still will have todo them. Procrastination always leads to more stress, anxiety, and guilt in the end.”
Get organised at your home, work and your entire life but also remember to break down this resolution into smaller goals since you may feel overwhelmed and give up come February and soon will be stressed again.

Quit your addictions
Many people want to stop smoking or drink less alcohol at the start of the year but with time it becomes one of the hardest habits to break. It is estimated that only 15 per cent of people who quit remain smoke-free after six months.
“Nicotine is addictive, and smoking is a habit often associated with stress relief. So if you want to quit smoking in the New Year, make a realistic plan for how you will cope with stress without cigarettes. Also try to work on the things that cause stress to you,” Wamala remarks.
About alcohol, this holiday has been a time people have gotten glued to the bottle but want to get back on the right path to health. Unless you are willing to change your lifestyle, like not attending social gatherings where alcohol is served, it can be hard to stick to this goal.