New Year, New You
Are you the sort of person to always make a new years resolution and then have trouble sticking to it?? If so, you’re not alone. In fact 92% of new years resolutions fail. So what’s the trick to being successful in achieving your goals for the year??
Part of the problem is that we set out to achieve our resolutions on our own. Whether the goal is to lose weight, up the exercise or reduce stress, it’s helpful to have backup and support. Discussing your new year’s resolution with your doctor keeps you accountable and on track to more successfully achieve your goals.
The other part of the problem is that our resolutions are often unrealistic or too vague. Be SMART about your goals, make sure they are:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-based
For example:
Common resolution: “I’m going to start exercising everyday”
Smarter resolution: “I’m going to begin walking 30 minutes, twice per week, adding an additional session of exercise each month, with a longer term aim of 1 hour of a variety of exercises 4-5 times per week.”
- Going from 0 to 100 simply isn’t realistic. If exercise isn’t currently part of your routine, build up slowly to prevent burn out.
Common resolution: “I’m going to eat healthily.”
Smarter resolution: “I’m going to introduce at least one serve of fruit and 2 serves of vegetables daily”
- Picking one or two things to focus on is much more realistic than changing your whole diet. The more specific, the more attainable.
Common resolution: “I’m going to put my health first this year”
Smarter resolution: “I’m going to make an appointment with my doctor to address my specific health concerns ”
- Looking after your health means different things for each individual. For some it may be increasing exercise, quitting smoking, or preventative health screening tests. Whatever it may be, it helps to have a doctor guide you. Visiting your doctor regularly helps to detect and treat certain conditions early or prevent them altogether.
Add these proactive items to your to-do list to make this year your healthiest and most productive.
- See your GP and discuss the preventative screening you should be considering for this year
- Arrange a skin check.
- Book a check up with your dentist – for almost 50% of us, more than a year passes without a dental visit
- Interrogate your parents – find out which health problems exist in your family and discuss these with your doctor. Knowing your family history can help guide the way you and your doctor manage and optimise your health.
Prevention is always better than cure, and an annual check-up is all is takes. Get 2017 off to a great start by making an appointment to explore your health goals and set you on the right path for the year ahead.