Healthy & Happy New Year

Christmas is over...

...So where to from here?

Research from the United States has found that the average end of year holiday weight gain is 0.5kgs and this weight increase is not reversed over the following year. Regardless of whether your festive season went to plan or could have been better, the silly season for 2010 has passed and we are faced with a new year ahead.

The New Year presents a good opportunity to re-evaluate where we are at with our health plans to set those New Year’s Resolutions. Ask yourself - what would I like to achieve in 2011? Remember, a few parties don’t make you overweight; it’s what you do the other 350 odd days of the year that matters.

Here are a couple of recommendations for getting started:

• Make sure you have a healthy environment around you - This means throw away any of those Christmas leftovers – weight loss is hard enough without having fruit mince pies, rum balls, peanuts and boxes of chocolates laying in the house. If possible, give these away to guests, neighbours or even colleagues at work.
• Set goals for what you want to achieve in 2011 - what are the greatest advantages with being healthier in 2011? It could be more energy, feeling better, looking better or improved health. Think of your resolutions as new goals for the year. Set short term goals to accompany your longer term goals.

A good way to approach this is to include goals that encompass a variety of aspects of your life:

• External goals e.g. Eating habits, food choices, exercise, shopping, reading food labels, health outcomes, etc.
• Internal goals e.g. Managing comfort eating, stress management, self-esteem, negative thought patterns, assertiveness, etc.

Write down your goals and put them somewhere noticeable (eg. office, study, fridge, back of toilet door, etc) so that you are continuously aware of your target.

Guidelines for setting goals include:

• Keep it real - Make your plans realistic and achievable. Consider your lifestyle and how reasonable your resolutions are. This may also involve starting small, for example, if you are doing less physical activity, maybe set a goal to increase this by one extra session per week and build on it weekly.
• Be specific – Set specific goals so that you know exactly what you are aiming to achieve and so you are able to measure your progress. For example, if you want to drink alcohol, how many standard drinks will you have?
• Plan – Think ahead and be prepared. This definitely applies to food and exercise – know what events or activities are coming up and re-arrange your original plan accordingly. This could be returning to work or ensuring the kids are all prepared for school.
• Anticipate setbacks - Let’s say the Christmas / New Year break didn’t go exactly to plan. Don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world! We have a new year ahead of us remember! The important thing is to remain focused. Return to your normal routine with meals and exercise as quickly as possible and keep in mind that one meal or one day is not going to make a significant difference in the overall scheme of things.
• Dealing with setbacks is part of the behaviour change process. Don't get downhearted if you experience them; see them as an opportunity to learn about yourself instead. Avoid 'all or nothing' thinking and learn to accept your mistakes and then move on. Does a musician cease playing when an incorrect note is played? Does a tennis player pack up after they serve a fault? They learn from the mistake and grow in experience so that they improve for next time.
• Reward yourself - Develop a system of non-food related rewards for behaviours that support your goals. Don't wait until the very end - set milestones and reward yourself as you go. For example, get a massage, buy a new CD or book.

Overall remember your goals and resolutions are an ongoing process, not an overnight transformation.

We hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and Happy New Year, from the staff at WWMC!

References

How to Set Weight Loss Goals

Before you change your lifestyle you need to set realistic goals, have realistic expectations and devise a master a plan for action: you can't just wake up every morning and react to what happens. At the Wesley Weight Management Clinic we recommend that people set SMART goals; goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely:

Specific

- What do you want to achieve?
- What would you like to change or improve on?
- Why do you want to reach your goal weight?
- What aspects of your lifestyle do you need to change to lose weight?
- Are there any habits that are holding you back?

Measurable

Set goals for the number of:

- Hours that you will sleep each night
- Litres of water that you will drink every day
- Minutes of exercise that you will do every week
- Healthy meals that you plan to cook / not skip.

Attainable

Allocate sufficient energy, time and effort for your goals. And make them flexible and realistic. For example, to achieve your exercise goals when you are busy you may have to shorten your exercise sessions or focus on incidental (non-planned) activity such as walking.

Realistic

Accept your body's natural ability to lose weight - otherwise you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Many people find it difficult to lose more than half a kilogram per week.

Make your goals achievable and if you succeed sooner than anticipated it will increase your confidence. Expecting that you will be ready to run a marathon the year after your first personal training session can be soul destroying!

Timely

Give yourself ample time to achieve your goals. When people place too much pressure on themselves to lose a particular amount of weight it can lead to anxiety. Or when they progress too quickly with exercise they suffer injuries.

Don't forget that weight loss is a marathon not a sprint. It takes time and perseverance to change ingrained habits, but with hard work, dedication and professional weight loss support you'll achieve your goals.