How to achieve your health goals in 2017

Type:Uv phototherapy   Time:2016-12-22 11:39:29

We asked renowned psychologists for advice on how to plan and stick to your New Year's resolutions.

If you've made it your goal to achieve a healthier 2017, your chances of fulfilling that New Year's resolution are better than you think.

About 44 percent of people who resolve to make changes in the New Year actually succeed, according to studies conducted by John Norcross, professor of psychology at University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. And with that good news, here are four ways to make sure you're one of the successful 44 percent.

1. Plan and prepare.

Set a realistic goal, not a grandiose one. For example, aim to lose 10 pounds and keep it off rather than trying to lose 50. Then, create an action plan to reach your goal,

2. Bolster self-confidence.

"Having confidence you can succeed is a potent predictor of success, and making a plan builds confidence," Norcross said. "You see a clear path forward and feel ready to take it."

Start by giving yourself your own pep talk. ¡°Research on attitude all points to the value of ¡®positive self-talk,¡¯ ¡± Meek said.

Examples of positive self-talk are ¡°I can do this¡± and ¡°This is good for me.¡±

¡°Make something like that your mantra,¡± Meek suggested. ¡°A goal-focused attitude is important for sustaining effort. You are, in effect, internalizing the support your best friend would give you.¡±

Once you've amped yourself up, ask for support from people who've already been successful in reaching the goal you hope to reach.  

 

3. Aim for incremental progress.

Making a meaningful behavior change is a step-by-step process.

"The idea that you have to make a dramatic change or it's not worth doing is a set-up for resignation and failure. Self change is a process and a skill, and like any other skill, such as playing tennis or becoming an accomplished baker, improvement is gradual and ongoing, with the key being persistent¡ªbut not instantaneous¡ªmovement toward the goal," he said.

4. Prepare for slips and avoid self-blame.

Did you suffer a setback or miss a target? Don¡¯t give up! Expect the occasional slips and plan what you'll do when they happen, said Norcross. Getting stuck in self-blame is your least productive option.

"In our studies, blaming oneself for slips or imperfect success is one of the strong predictors of failure," Norcross said. "By self-denigrating, people focus solely on what went wrong and begin to resign themselves to failure."

He said that slips can even improve self-confidence when you expect and react positively to them.

Meek agreed. ¡°Immediately recommit after a slip-up,¡± he said. ¡°Tell yourself, ¡®Yes, I could¡¯ve done better today, but I¡¯ll do better tomorrow.'"