Why do we resolve?
Toolbox
By Gordon Dritschilo Rutland Herald - Published: December 31, 2008
To paraphrase Mary Poppins, New Year's resolutions are like pie crusts — easily made, easily broken.
Some people's resolutions never get off the ground. Some make the same resolution year after year.
Dr. Craig Knapp, a practicing psychologist and chairman of the Division of Psychology and Human Services at College of St. Joseph, said there were several reasons people often find New Year's resolutions hard to keep.
One, he said, is that their goals are often unrealistic
"They may be too long or too many," he said. "Sometimes goals may be too vague. What does it mean to be a better husband or a better student?"
Resolutions can also fail because people don't think about what it will take to accomplish their goals. Knapp said it is important to break a goal down into smaller steps.
When losing weight, for example, Knapp said you should set a smaller goal for each week or month in addition to your big one for the year.
"It's not just about setting goals," Knapp said. "It's about the plans you have to accomplish those goals."
People also don't think about the resources they will need to accomplish their goals, according to Knapp. Do they have enough time during the day? Do they need anything specific? Will they have to spend money?
Another neglected factor is what barriers people face to reach their goals. Someone might have a move or a vacation coming up that will disrupt his or her routine. Peer pressure may also cause problems — it can be difficult to change a behavior the people around you engage in or expect of you.
The rewards for success and consequences of failure also come into play.
The keys to success, Knapp said, are to have appropriate goals, have a good plan, keep track of your progress and make sure your plan includes some sort of reward for success.
"Usually people will do better if they have someone else involved," he said. "It's easier to exercise if someone's doing it with you. If you can recruit people who you care about, or who care about you, even if it's a friendly wager, that can really help."
Two specific resolutions that many people make year after year are losing weight.
"Everyone, when the new year comes along, wants to jump right into it and make big changes," said Peg Young, who runs the smoking-cessation program at Rutland Regional Medical Center.
What people need to do to quit smoking, Young said, is think and plan ahead, figuring out what sort of support they need, such as help from friends and family members or a product like nicotine gum or a patch. Young said she recommends help from people and products.
"Cold turkey is the hardest, but for some people it works," she said.
She also recommended the American Cancer Society's Quitline at (800) 784-8669, the hospital's quitting number, 747-3768, and the Web site, vtquitnetwork.org.
Many people use smoking as a coping mechanism or as a habitual accompaniment to certain parts of their day, and Young said they need to replace it with something healthy.
"I often recommend people start some walking activity," she said. "Maybe after a meal, instead of having a cigarette, you take a short walk."
Young said people try to quit an average of six times before it takes, and would-be ex-smokers need not get discouraged.
"Every quit counts," she said. "This is a longstanding addiction that's intertwined through people's lives. It's a very strong addiction that people underestimate."
Sarah Narkewicz, a certified diabetes educator and the hospital's wellness coordinator, offered a handful of tips for those looking to slim down in the new year. The first was eating three meals a day.
"Don't starve yourself," she said. "Eat regular, well-balanced meals at regular times. Once you get over-hungry, you overeat.
"Another key is to pay attention to and limit portion sizes," she said. "That's where we often lose it. A fruit portion should be a baseball size. A baseball is basically a cup, so when you're eating a cup of vegetables or fruit, it's a baseball."
A meat or fish portion should be about the size of a deck of cards, she said, and a cheese serving should be the size of three dice. Narkewicz said cheese is easy to overeat. She recommended the Web site mypyramid.gov for more information on nutrition.
People should also make sure they get a good night's sleep, Narkewicz added.
Another key is exercise.
"If you're going to lose weight, you need to get moving. Watching your diet is half the puzzle. Exercise helps maintain your weight by burning up extra calories, but it also improves your mood so you're less likely to binge."
Ways people can exercise more include taking the stairs instead of the elevator, choosing a parking space further away from their destination, shoveling snow, doing their own cleaning and dancing at parties.
"Activity can be so many different things," Narkewicz said. "It doesn't mean spandex."
Contact Gordon Dritschilo at gordon.dritschilo@rutlandherald.com.