It’s now 2018… and it’s been quite a change in the usual routine- if only because the weather is really off-kilter. If you have resolutions you want to accomplish, it might help you to shift the symantics from “resolutions” to “goals”. That might help your mindset make the shift and might also help your accomplish them. While I no longer share what my resolutions are — other than cleaning up my office and getting organized (again, and again, and again!), it’s always about getting the fitness regimen tweaked and also cutting off the sweettooth that hits when I head into the holidays.
However, this year is a little different! I decided to be kind to myself in odd ways.
1) When I am tired, I stop and take a nap. Even 20-30 minutes will do wonders when I need to focus on writing.
2) I didn’t cut back on my workouts. In this case, I had slowly added on at least 10-15 minutes to the workout since last year and I like how this workout time has turned into “Me Time”. This is essentially my time to do something just for me- and I love it. It helped me stay focused on something and I increased the time more since Christmas 2016- and ny body shows it.
3) I did let myself have sweets. Not binging helped though there were a couple of times that I caught myself under the sugar spell. While I dislike the aftermath, I don’t feel like punishing myself because sugar fever hit me. I started realizing that I don’t have to eat everything at one time. I could spread it out over several days and I didn’t have worry about depriving myself. That made a huge difference.
How did I do this? I read the guest expert post from Dr. Deena Solomon who is today’s guest expert. She’s a phenomenal woman who is very smart, very sharp and if you read her post a couple of times (along with the sources), you might find something resonates with you. If you want to lose weight, you might want to buy her book too – because her book is “herstory” (not “history”, but herstory {her-story}. Get it?) Dr. Solomon’s accomplishment is significant and she shares it with you. Her book is Immaculate Consumption:
New Year’s Resolutions – 4 Guiding Principles for Maximizing Your Success
By Dr. Deena Solomon
Just over 40% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions related to self-improvement, health, finance and romance, however only 9% feel successful in achieving their resolution, 48% have infrequent success, and 42% never succeed and fail on their resolution each year, according to a 2017 study.
The same study from 2015 shows very similar numbers and reveals that 8% of people felt successful in achieving their New Year’s resolutions.
While these statistics make it sound daunting to make any resolution, I’m not trying to dissuade you, but offer advice on maximizing your efforts. As a cognitive behavioral psychotherapist and weight management expert who had a successful practice for over 30 years, I can say with authority that many resolutions are achievable and within reach, regardless of how many failed attempts you’ve had. At my LA practice, I helped hundreds of individuals not only lose weight and maintain their weight for at least seven years, with many maintaining their desired weight for well over 15-20 years.
I’d like to offer 4 guiding principles for people who are making resolutions, whether it be a new diet, workout or item that’s going to make them feel better and improve their quality of life. These are principles that can help people succeed when they desire to change themselves!
1. Stick with your regimen for at least 3 weeks, long enough to develop a new pattern of behavior.
Don’t err. You want your new behavior to become a long-lasting pattern that will last for months and preferably years. If you cannot cement a new pattern of new behavior during this time, it’s unlikely you will over the longer term. By applying some of the basic concepts of neuroscience around patterning and habit formation, you can essentially “train your brain” to help support you in goal achievement. Some people have a fear of driving but once they get used to the mechanics of turning on the ignition, using turn signals, braking, and accelerating, and integrating themselves into the flow of traffic on a city street or on a highway, it gives them confidence to drive for longer periods of time and farther from their home. The key to success is habit formation.
2. If you aim for smaller, less noticeable changes, these are more likely to become lasting patterns of behavior.
For example, a person who wakes up habitually late should start to set their alarm clock 15 minutes earlier. This person will most probably be successful in maintaining that change over a longer period of time, compared to someone who sets their alarm clock for 2 hours earlier and wakes up feeling groggy, tired and may only continue with this behavior for 1-2 weeks max. So if your new regimen is an abrupt or dramatic departure from the outset, it may not be manageable in the long term, and you’re setting yourself up for failure.
3. Focus on fixing only one counterproductive behavior not a legion of issues.
If you can accomplish one goal during the first month, you’ll feel so much happier with yourself and gain more confidence in tackling additional issues. For example, some beginners learning to ski or snowboard who fear being out of control make the mistake of intentionally falling before they get very far on the slope as a means to decelerate their velocity. Once they can get past this initial fear that causes them to fall prematurely by learning to stop without falling first, they can feel more comfortable in navigating the entire slope and then work on other techniques that will enhance their performance.
4. Recognize that the journey towards change is a self-motivated one, where you set your own goals and determine your rewards.
The desire to change one’s life or patterns of behavior should not depend upon someone else being there to remind or nudge, but your own volition and inner desire to effect change. We are ultimately responsible for our own actions and results!
Wishing you great success in all your endeavors and a very Happy New Year!
Dr. Deena Solomon
About the Author
Dr. Deena Solomon is a Santa Monica-based weight management expert, cognitive behavioral psychotherapist, and author of the new book Immaculate Consumption: The Path to Lifelong Weight Management, which details her self-study method (ICP) that helps people with weight management by modifying their behaviors.
Her method teaches self-awareness, self-management, and discipline via scientific documentation of what they eat before they eat, and is aimed at those who have struggled with weight management. This scientifically-based weight loss program is based on decades of research and her own personal experience, and forms the foundation of her own 70-lb. weight loss which she has successfully maintained since 1980, and the equally impressive results she has achieved with hundreds of patients. With an 84% success rate, compared with the approximately 5% success rate of most diets, Dr. Solomon’s method is focused on real-life techniques for lifelong weight management.
Dr. Deena Solomon, Before
Dr. Deena Solomon, After:
Learn more about Dr. Solomon at www.drdeenasolomon.com.
Purchase her book Immaculate Consumption: the Path to Lifelong Weight Management on Amazon.
Blog: http://www.drdeenasolomon.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdeenasolomon/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXuvcTKqjQPh2G5NvuAsLDg
Thanks to Dr. Solomon for these great tips.
No one really likes resolutions, but Dr. Solomon has put together a really smart set of resolutions that are both measurable and also do-able- and that makes it easier for you to accomplish. If you are looking to lose weight after these holidays, it takes time and some effort to give up the “sweet stuff” or the super-savory & rich snacks to be able to clean up your eating habit so that you can drop those pounds. I love Dr. Solomon’s book because it’s sensible and effective-both are critical for you to get where you want to be!
Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com
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