Dr. Jeff McQuaite, a Doylestown Chiropractor, Offers Healthy New Years Resolutions

Happy New Year. Now that 2010 is coming to a close, it is time to embrace the newness of 2011.

Doylestown, PA, December 31, 2010 --(PR.com)-- There are many New Year’s Day traditions, including eating pork for luck, watching college bowl games, taking down the holiday decorations, and even resolving to make some grand change in the coming weeks and months. What will yours be? Here are a few tips for getting you a jump start towards your goals:

1. Start small. Do be realistic. A resolution to run a marathon by year’s end is likely unrealistic for an inexperienced exerciser. Likewise, resolving to stop all your unhealthy habits at once is likely to fail. Pick a safe, attainable goal with a realistic time frame. You want to stay motivated, so by setting and meeting small goals will keep your fire burning and you will feel strong to take on another more challenging goal.

2. Don’t make too many resolutions. There’s no rule that you have to cover all areas you’d like to change in your resolutions. Pick one or two themes – such as anger management, stress control, healthy eating, smoking cessation, fitness improvement, career advancement – that are most important to you, and set reachable goals within these areas.

3. Do set resolutions based upon your own wishes, desires, goals, and dreams, and not those of society or those persons close to you. While this seems obvious, many people waste time trying to meet society’s – or another person’s – expectations. A resolution is bound to fail if it isn’t from your heart.

4. Don’t set resolutions whose success is based upon factors beyond your control. Saying “I resolve to have a new job by summer” depends not only upon your own initiative, but also upon external factors (the economy, the job market in your field) over which you have no control. Instead tell yourself “I resolve to have updated my resume and sent it out to X companies by summer.” That way, the success of your resolution is entirely within your control.

5. Do plan ahead if it helps you maintain control. Decide where you’d like to be in three or six months, and check yourself then. Achieving these smaller goals also gives you a sense of accomplishment and motivation for the bigger projects. The more organized you can be the easier you will make it on yourself and the less likely you will be to slip up.

6. Do plan a reward for yourself when the resolutions – or intermediate goals – are met. Allow yourself to be treated with a new article of clothing, buying a book, CD, movie, going on a trip, a day spa treat, whatever. After you accomplish one or a few of your mini goals you should treat yourself.

7. Do use the buddy system. Rely on your friends to support you in your resolutions, and do the same for your friends. Social support can be a great strengthener of motivation.

8. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up. Also, if you slip and cheat once in the day, that day is not lost, you can immediately get yourself back on track. However, continuing to cheat throughout the day you are really making it hard on yourself to make and maintain the proper behavior changes you need to make in order to succeed.

9. Stick to it. Experts say it takes about 21 days for a new activity, such as exercising, to become a habit, and six months for it to become part of your personality. Your new healthful habits will become second-nature in no time.

Looking for a few easy and simple resolutions to push you in the right direction? Try these on for size, then get ready to make it an entire year of mini-resolutions that add up to one big healthy change!

•Replace one soda with a glass of water each day.
•Do a half-decaf, half full-caf blend and slowly wean yourself to full decaf coffee.
•Wake-up 30 minutes early during the work week. Use that time to read, meditate, eat breakfast, take a walk or simply not feel rushed in the morning.
•Buy one new fruit and vegetable at the store each week, and actually eat it!
•Take your lunch to work at least once each week.
•Eat dinner at the table without TV or other media interference at least one night each week.
•Pick a spot one mile from your front door and walk there and back most nights of the week.
•Carve out some “me” time for one hour each week.
•Pay for, and attend, three sessions with a personal trainer.
•Get a physical.
•Take a multi-vitamin each morning.
•Jog in place or do push-ups during commercials of your favorite TV show.
•Pace during long phone calls.
•Play outside with your kids for an hour each weekend.
•Don’t eat while in the car.
•Swap your favorite ice cream for the sugar-free version.
•Order a salad at every meal when dining out (dressing on the side).
•Swap ground turkey for ground beef in one meal a week.
•Give one loaf of whole grain bread a try.
•Leave work on time one night each week.

Azzatori Chiropractic-Doylestown
295 Logan Street
Doylestown Pa. 18901
267-247-7000
www.mcquaitechiropractic.com

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Azzatori Chiropractic
Dr. Jeff McQuaite
267-247-7000
www.mcquaitechiropractic.com
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