Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 1, 2018

5Ways to Make Those NewYear’s Resolutions Stick First you make ‘em. Then you break ‘em. As you’ve likely discovered, good inten- tions aren’t enough to make resolutions stick. You’ve got to stack the odds in your favor. Here’s how: 1. Be specific. Rather than a fuzzy resolution—for instance, “I’m finally going to get fit”—commit to a clearly defined one. Do you want to be able to finish a 5K? Do a dozen pushups? Walk the hilly streets in your neighborhood without getting winded? Set this as your goal. 2. Don’t overreach. Resolving to go to the gym every morning before work is potentially setting yourself up for failure. Getting there two or three times a week is more realistic—and far likelier to become a habit. 3. Line up support. Pair up with a resolution buddy—somebody with the same or a similar goal. Change is easier if you don’t attempt it solo. Spread the news about your resolution; the more friends and family you tell, the more accountable you’ll feel. 4. Reward yourself. Did you make it through your first week without smok- ing? Then spend the money you would have spent on cigarettes on something special for yourself. Are you down 5 pounds? Treat yourself to something special, like a manicure or tickets to a concert. 5. Bounce back. OK, so you skipped the gym a couple of times or binged on a bunch of snacks one weekend. Mis- steps are normal. One key to successful behavior change is resiliency. Tomorrow really is another day—it’s your chance to get back on track. A group of employees fromKootenai Heart Clinics Northwest extended theWeight Watchers at Work program to their office in Spokane. Together, they’ve lost over 370 pounds. Stay on track Achieve your goals with the help of some friends or co-workers. Need help managing a larger wellness goal? Work with one of Kootenai Clinic’s primary care pro- viders to get on track to a happy, healthy 2018. Visit appointmentcenter.kh.org or call (208) 625-6767 . As it turns out, the trick to success is that there isn’t one. The best way to reach wellness goals lies in hard work, consistency and accountability. “You’re much more likely to be successful if you break goals up into small pieces,” Jason said. “Too often people can only see the larger obstacles in front of them. Instead of thinking about the 50 pounds you want to lose, just focus on the first 2 pounds. This is a much smaller and more manageable goal.” In addition to setting measurable steps, Jason acknowl- edges that some days will be more successful than others, and the best way to handle a bump in the road is to not beat yourself up. “Expect setbacks, but also expect to get back on the horse,” Jason said. “Changing our habits is not an easy process, and there will be times when you slip. Slipping up does not make you a failure, nor is it a reason to abandon your efforts. Everybody slips; it’s part of the process. The key is getting going again.” KH . ORG 13