Do New Year's Resolutions Work?

I'm thinking about making a New Year's Resolution to lose weight? Is it worth doing or just a waste of time?


The average American gains about a pound during the holiday season. That doesn't sound like much, but most people continue to hold on to the extra weight permanently. So over the course of a decade, that adds up to some fairly substantial padding. It's not surprising that after the last present is opened and the calendar flips to a new year, a good percentage of us declare it's time to get in shape and lose weight.


I don't think resolutions are bad. In fact, I think they can be very productive. The problem is that by mid-January, about 30 percent of resolutioners have already slacked off, and fewer than half still stick with their plan by the six-month mark.

Why is this? I think it's because most people blurt out their resolution declarations as they are raising a glass or as they struggle with the zipper on their holiday party dress. If you want a resolution that you'll actually follow, you have to get serious about it. And so, in the spirit of shedding that bothersome holiday pound -- and holiday pounds past -- here are some ways you can give your New Year's resolutions some traction.

Base your goals on more than a fleeting thought. We all have those moments when we resolve on the spot to do something. Those moments can be a spark for change, but having a strong initial commitment helps. You need to be prepared for some hard work, commitment, and, yes, a little sacrifice. The first month is always the toughest. After that, your routine will be established and you won't have to try so hard to make it work. Psyche yourself up to take it day by day for at least 30 days. Constantly remind yourself about priorities and what it would mean to actually make your weight loss happen.

Make your resolutions specific. This is goal setting 101. Saying you want to lose weight is a pretty worthless statement. If your goal isn't definitive, how will you know when you've reached it? Saying you want to lose 10 pounds is better because it's more concrete, but be sure that your numbers are based on reality. Picking a number out of thin air or because you think you should weigh the same as Jennifer Aniston won't get you very far. Look at established measurements like body mass index, body fat percentage, or, at the very least, a height/weight chart.

Create a plan of attack: It isn't enough to show up at the gym or buy a cute new workout outfit. You need to have an idea of how you're getting from point A (right now) to point B (your goal). Think through details like how often you're going to exercise, for how long, where, when and with whom. Write these details down. Post them where you can see them. Track them. Leaving it to chance virtually guarantees a crash and burn scenario.

Have a backup plan: What do you normally do when faced with temptation? Do you dig your spoon in and think, "Eh, I'll start again tomorrow"? Weak moments are inevitable. Prepare for them. When faced with brownies, mashed potatoes or buttered noodles, have a coping strategy in mind. You could laminate a card with your goals on them, keep inspirational pictures at hand or try 10 deep breaths. Whatever gets you through.

Track your progress: I can't stress this enough: Keep an exercise and eating diary. Research shows it can double your weight loss. Write down as much detail as you can think of. This will create a blueprint of your accomplishments -- and failures. If you succeed, you have a step-by-step guide outlining exactly how you did it. If you fail, the reasons are often contained on the pages of your log.

OK, so that's my opinion on New Year's Resolutions. What's yours? I'd like to hear what your resolutions are and how you plan to make them come true. Post your thoughts here or tweet me. Happy holidays!

How To Set Goals For Weight Loss

The holidays are upon us, and now after the holiday season we face the inevitable — diet season. Yes, it's a vicious cycle. We eat as if there were no tomorrow; then, when the holidays are over, we awaken from our food coma and realize we need to lose a few (pounds, that is).

We rush to the bookstore in search of an answer, or listen to the latest diet guru, who offers to make us fit. However, if you're like most of us, you'll end up falling prey to the neon doughnut and fast-food signs, as well as the many unhealthful food ads on TV. If you've been there, done that, how about doing something different this year: Set some goals.

Goal setting is critical to accomplishing any task. Is it possible to reach a goal without having a plan? Maybe. But if you want to significantly tip the odds in your favor, setting goals helps. In fact, a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reported that good goal setting increases your chances of reaching your diet objective by 85%.

Keep in mind, goals need to be specific (i.e., how much weight do you want to lose), motivating (interesting enough for you to want to achieve them), achievable (realistic) and rewarding (worth having when you reach them). Strategies need to be tactical (i.e., you have a real plan), easy to evaluate, and revisable (if they are not working). 

All your goals and strategies should follow the guidelines above, but you still need to break them down into micro (day to day), short-term (1 week to 1 month), midterm (1 month to 6 months) and long-term (6 months to a year).

Overall and long-term goals

Setting your long-term goal is your first decision. It's the equivalent of picking a location for your next vacation. In order to start the planning process, you need to know where you're going.

Micro, short-term and midterm goals

Micro goals are about deciding that the next time you go to the fridge you will reach for the mustard instead of the mayonnaise.

Short-term and midterm goals are those that get you to your long-term objective, the ones you meet "along the way." They should keep you excited, motivated and on-target, and they should provide achievable objectives that bring you closer to your long-term goal.

You should start feeling good about your decision to lose weight right from the beginning. To help you do that, start each week by choosing a micro goal you can meet within the next seven, 10 or 14 days. If you eat out frequently you might decide that one of the restaurants you eat in next week will feature low-cal fish dishes. Or your goal might be to eat out only twice a week. 

It's also important to break down your short-term and midterm goals into categories to help you track the various aspects of your long-term goal. Weight control involves a variety of issues including food choices, behavioral and psychological choices, physical activity and and selecting the right nutritional supplements to take. Take a look at each of the categories below to give you a starting point for setting your goals.

1. Food choices

Think about how your eating habits are preventing you from losing weight. With this in mind, set one or two food goals to work on each week.

For example:

• I will not skip meals this week.

• I will not snack on candy in the afternoon. Instead, I will have fruit or a bowl of low-calorie cereal.

• I will have wine with dinner only three nights this week, and I will keep it to one glass.

2. Behavioral and psychological issues

What is it about your lifestyle — or the way you think about yourself, food or exercise — that is a barrier to weight loss? With this in mind, set one or two behavioral/psychological goals to work on each week.

Some examples:

• I will eat only at the dining table when I'm at home. When I am tempted to eat in other areas, I will remind myself of my long-term goals and feel better about myself. (Eating in just one or two places helps to narrow the number of spots in your home that you associate with eating.)

• I will not watch TV while eating. (Not doing anything else while you eat allows you to focus so that you're aware of how much you're eating and actually enjoy it more.)

3. Physical activity

Developing physical activity goals is imperative for any effective weight-loss program. These goals should be realistic in terms of how long, how much and how hard you exert yourself. Remember that to lose a pound you need to cut roughly 3,500 calories. So if, for example, your objective is to lose 30 pounds in a year, and you're cutting an average of 200 calories a day from your diet, you might want to make up the difference (about 90 calories), by doing an additional 20 minutes of physical activity each day.

Some examples of activity goals:

• I will walk 15 minutes during my lunch break three times a week.

• I will walk up the three flights of stairs to my office every morning.

• I will go bike riding with my daughter on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

• I will institute a "no e-mail" policy from 2 to 4 p.m. and walk over to my co-workers' desks to communicate.

• I will run a 5K one year from today.

Goal planning involves doing real work, but the good news is that once you do the initial work, maintenance and revisions are not nearly as difficult.