By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

BE REALISTIC AND SPECIFIC IN MAKING NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

Question: Every year I make New Year’s Resolutions that I fail to keep after a few days. This causes me to be disappointed in myself. I really like making resolutions, but I hate not keeping them. How can I make resolutions that I will keep?

Answer: The tradition of looking to the future and making resolutions has been around for centuries. The New Year is a time for reflection and an opportunity to use that reflection to improve the future. Most people make resolutions that are so broad that they are impossible for anyone to keep, even for a few days. An example might be, “I’m going to lose 20 lbs.” Note that there’s nothing in the resolution about how you are going to lose the 20 lbs., or by when. At other times, we might make resolutions that are just downright vague, like “I’m going to exercise this year.” Because you have no personal stake or commitment to something this vague, it’s very easy to put aside.

If you want to make “keepable” New Year’s Resolutions, make them focused and achievable. Sometimes you’re better off to make ONE good, reasonable resolution than several that won’t last. Once you have decided on your resolution, write it down VERY specifically. If your goal is weight loss, then spell out what you want to do: “I want to lose 12 pounds by April 1, 2004.” You can continue your resolution by stating how you are going to accomplish this. You might say: “I am going to limit myself to 1500 calories per day. I will weigh myself every Saturday morning. I expect to lose one pound every week.”

In April you can reassess your goal and perhaps set a new goal for the next 12 weeks as well as reevaluating your methods for weight loss. At that point, ask yourself questions like: “Did it work?” “Did I lose 12 pounds?” “Was 1500 calories a day hard or easy for me to do?”

A research study several years ago sheds further light on the differences between “good” and “bad” resolutions. The study involved more than two hundred people who had made New Year's resolutions -- most of them concerning their health. By July 1, about forty percent of them were still living up to their promise to themselves. The researchers found that those forty percent had several things in common.

First, they believed from the very beginning that they had the ability to change. They had self-confidence, and they set realistic goals. Second, they did not engage in self-blame. And third, they avoided wishful thinking. In other words, they didn't go into the new year believing their life would change completely if they lost weight or quit smoking. Rather, they kept themselves centered on realistic thinking, like "I'll feel better when I look in the mirror if I lose weight," or "I'll be able to smell and taste my food a lot more if I quit smoking."

Remember that a New Year’s resolution is not about adding to the stress in your life, but is about making your life better. If making and breaking a resolution is too stressful for you, don’t make any resolutions. But, if you do make a resolution and break it, don't get discouraged. Just try again. For most people, relapses are a part of breaking any bad habit. Don't forget: It doesn't have to be the New Year to make resolutions. You can make a vow to improve yourself any time you want.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnosis and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at http://www.FamilyMedicineNews.org.