Make This Your Year

You can eat better, find energy, lose the weight you want. Our expert strategies will help you avoid the biggest roadblocks and reach your goals

They're shiny with possibility before midnight--but come the cold light of day, they've stopped giving you that giddy feeling. Maybe you hang on to them for another week or two, but eventually they get lost in the momentum of your life. Again.

We understand. But we also know that you can make those important changes stick. A classic study on resolutions found that 60% of people who set a New Year's goal give up on it within 3 months. But that means 40% succeed. The difference between the ones who reach their goals and those who fall short? Successful changers seek out or stumble onto the right strategies. Weight loss, for instance, is tough, but researchers have learned that regular weigh-ins increase the chances of success by more than 80%. And when you're trying to get yourself up off the couch, having a plan B (like using an exercise DVD when rain dampens your enthusiasm for a brisk walk) makes you 20% more likely to become a habitual exerciser.

We surveyed top researchers in psychology, weight loss, diet, exercise, and more to identify the most common resolutions, along with the roadblocks that most often get in the way. Then we gave our experts a challenge: How can you jump over, sneak under, or crash right through the barriers? To get on the fast track to your goals, read on.

Eat Healthier

"Lunch isn't enough to get me through my whole workday, so I grab something unhealthy."

Stock up on snacks. When people are trying to diet and eat right, they often toss out their snacks; the very word conjures up Dipsy Doodles and Ho-Hos. Then, when they get hungry, they hit the office vending machine. Instead, make the right munchies your first line of defense, says Walter Willett, MD, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and author of Eat, Drink & Weigh Less. Dry-roasted nuts are chock-full of monounsaturated (good) fats and protein--and they're satisfyingly crunchy and rich. To avoid a munching marathon, pour a small bag of nuts onto a plate and eat one morsel at a time.

"When I'm hungry, fruits and vegetables aren't what I want."

Get your veggies in a creamy, crunchy form. Here's another way strategic snacking pays off: Keep a container of hummus in the fridge and dip in (with whole wheat crackers or pita) when you need something that feels sinful, recommends Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, a clinical assistant professor at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health. Half a cup qualifies as a veggie serving. Another proven way to boost your intake: Keep a bowl of fruit on your desk or kitchen counter. You may not feel like having fruit in the abstract, but if it looks good and smells great, you might find yourself in the mood.

"I have a sweet tooth."

Satisfy it--but steer clear of the super-sweetener. Processed foods frequently contain large amounts of high fructose corn syrup. The sweetener is metabolized differently from other forms of sugar, and some studies suggest that its effect on your insulin levels actually prompts you to eat again sooner. (Another processed-food ingredient, trans fat, also may pack on extra pounds per calorie.) Besides, says Hobbs, "High fructose corn syrup tastes sweeter than other forms of sugar, which may condition us to want ever-sweeter foods."

(Posted January 2007)

Make Exercise a Habit

"I don't have time."

Start with mini-workouts and add on from there. In a 2005 study funded by the National Institutes of Health, short-but-frequent workouts (10-minute exercise sessions, four times a day) produced the same health benefits as a daily 40-minute session. So forget holding out for a trip to the gym; you can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, cut your risk of diabetes, and control your weight if you just take a quick walk whenever you have time, says Rod K. Dish-man, PhD, an exercise psychologist at the University of Georgia.

"Something always comes up."

Create a backup plan. Having a fallback makes you 20% more likely to fit exercise into your day, according to Dishman. So make sure you have a few exercise DVDs at home for days when you can't manage anything more ambitious; keep resistance bands at the office. Mixing up your workout style can also help. In one study, 66% of people who exercised on their own (running, cycling) and in structured classes (tai chi, Pilates) continued to work out for at least 6 months, compared with 39% of those who depended solely on classes and 60% of those exercising on their own.

"I hate getting sweaty."

So don't! Excessive panting and sweating in a beginner means you're--hello!--working too hard, says John Bingham, a former couch potato turned marathon runner and author of The Courage to Start. Instead, pick an intensity officially known as "somewhat hard." You'll recognize it because you'll be breathing heavily but still able to carry on a conversation. (Heart rate to aim for: 120 to 150 beats per minute.) You'll get nearly as much cardiovascular payoff as if you went all-out, Dishman says.

"It's not fun."

Match your exercise to your personality. A 2004 study at the University of Florida found that paying attention to the fit between activity and temperament boosts the likelihood that you'll enjoy your workout. If you're extroverted (social, chatty), the research showed you're apt to be happiest with high-intensity exercise, preferably done to music (try an aerobics class). If you're high-strung (hyperaware of your surroundings, with a tendency to be anxious), indoor solo activity may be more your speed (hop on the treadmill). If you're generally open to new experiences, check out a martial arts or dance class, in which you frequently have to learn new moves and routines. If you're a driven, goal-directed type, you may prefer a scheduled, high-intensity routine, such as a jump rope class or cardio-capoeira.

"I get discouraged because I never see results."

Lift weights. If you're doing cardio workouts, it can take as long as 4 months before you begin to notice shapely muscle where a mound of fat used to be, says Kara Gallagher, PhD, CEO of Mohr Results, a nutrition and fitness company based in Louisville. But lifting weights can cut that time in half. To maximize the visible payoff, work out at high intensity most days of the week, and don't spot-train; instead, engage the whole body. Moves such as squats and walking lunges are effective, Gallagher says, especially if you hold 8- to 10-pound hand weights while doing them.

Change My Life!

"I'm afraid I'll fail."

Imagine how you'd help a friend take the leap. If you dream of switching careers or taking a trip around the world, it may do no good to try to knock down your concerns--chances are, they're too huge, says Judith Sills, PhD, author of The Comfort Trap. "Don't even try to take on your resistance. Instead, think of ways to sneak around it." For instance, ask yourself how someone else (heaven forbid, not you!) might figure out how to open a small business or write a novel. "Visualizing another person doing it makes it easier to grasp that change is possible," says Sills.

"I know I'm unhappy, but I don't know what would make me more satisfied."

Live more adventurously right now. No need to sign up for skydiving: Ask for bigger challenges at work. Or talk to strangers at Starbucks. "Sticking your neck out in small ways mobilizes you for greater action," says Judith Wright, author of The Soft Addiction Solution.

"It's too late to start over."

Embrace discomfort--at least temporarily. Change is hard, but perpetual dissatisfaction is no picnic either. "You won't make any real progress unless you're willing to be temporarily uncomfortable," says Robert Leahy, PhD, a clinical professor of psychology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and author of The Worry Cure. "Taking one step backward from your easy life is the first step forward." You may even learn that what you thought would be excruciating (putting your house up for sale, having a one-on-one with your boss or partner) isn't nearly as unpleasant as you thought.

Lose Weight

"I just don't have enough willpower."

Forget willpower--it doesn't work anyway. Years of research on behavior change provide strong evidence that people who diet and demand perfection of themselves are likely to respond to slip-ups by pigging out. In studies on smokers trying to quit, Alan Marlatt, PhD, director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center at the University of Washington, found that people who could avoid turning a stolen puff into a full-blown relapse were three times as likely to maintain their healthier habits at the 2-year mark.

A similar dynamic is likely to apply to those on a diet, he adds. So if you trip and fall into a plate of your favorite pie at the local cafe, don't label yourself a weight loss loser. Instead, realize that missteps are an inevitable part of the journey that will bring you to your goal.

"I eat when I'm depressed. Or bored. Or anxious."

Ask how instead of why. "Focusing on why you engage in emotional eating implies that there's a deep psychological problem," says Gary Foster, PhD, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University. "But for most people, emotional eating is simply a bad habit." To break the cycle, look at what you're usually doing when your emotional munchies hit--and change the pattern. If crankiness makes you chow down on chips while sorting through the mail after work, don't sort through the mail right after work. Throw a leash on the dog and go for a walk instead. Or eat whole grain crackers and an apple before you leave the office, so you're not PO'd and ravenous when you get home.

"I hate feeling deprived."

Indulge in your favorite treats--but set a price for them. "A few months ago, I made a resolution not to have a candy bar unless I ate a piece of fruit first," says food behavior researcher Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating. "When I wanted candy, I usually couldn't find a piece of fruit. Or I found one and the sweetness of the fruit satisfied my craving." Another antideprivation strategy: Set three small weight loss goals each month--none of them eliminating a food entirely. Instead of vowing you won't eat doughnuts, commit to skipping doughnuts for breakfast. You'll only have to stick to any goal for 30 days--okay, maybe 31, but, says Wansink, the diet changes tend to last.

"I get discouraged so easily."

Use the power of self-prophecy. This may sound absurdly simple, but answering yes to a yes-or-no question about whether you're going to make a change greatly increases your odds of weight loss success, according to a study last year by Eric Spangenberg, PhD, and David Sprott, PhD, at Washington State University. They found that self-prediction increased participants' attendance at a health club, boosted their consumption of healthy snacks, and strengthened their commitment to a healthier lifestyle by nearly 20%. The researchers speculate that it may help if it's a loved one asking for the prediction.

"I can lose the weight, but it always creeps back."

Weigh yourself daily. In an 18-month study of 314 volunteers who'd shed 20% of their body weight, researcher Rena Wing, PhD, and colleagues at the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at the Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI, found that daily maintenance is key. Participants who got on the scales every day were 82% more likely than others to keep the weight loss off.

"Once I start eating, it's hard to stop."

Limit the processed foods on your plate. Variety is the spice of life--and the bane of your diet. In a study at the University of Buffalo, volunteers given a four-course meal ate 44% more than those who were given the same amount of a single food. Unfortunately, processed foods frequently combine different flavors--salty and sugary, sweet and spicy--says David Katz, MD, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University's School of Medicine and author of The Flavor Point Diet. "Some breakfast cereals contain more salt per serving than potato chips," he says.

Sizzle Up My Sex Life

"I'm never in the mood anymore."

Lower your standards. So you're not exploding with desire? Studies show that many women who report a lack of interest in sex respond just fine once they're in the midst. "Women assume that mental desire must precede physical arousal, and that if the desire isn't there, well, they must not like sex," says marital therapist Michele Weiner-Davis, author of The Sex Starved Marriage. "But for many women, that's not true.

"I frequently tell women, 'The next time your husband approaches you, you should just do it,'" Weiner-Davis adds. "See if the lightbulb goes on."

One common libido dampener for women who are years into a relationship: comparing their desire with the drive they felt in the early days of the union. "Don't wait for fireworks," Weiner-Davis says. "Work with the embers. You have to find out what you need to feel sexier. Go out and buy new underwear--not for him, but for you."

"I'm too tired."

Don't make sex a cost-benefit analysis. "Asking yourself, Do I get 7 hours of sleep tonight or do I have sex? does not lead to passion," says psychologist Kathryn Hall, PhD, author of Reclaiming Your Sexual Self: How You Can Bring Desire Back into Your Life. "Sex ends up being quick and efficient, and women's orgasms--more than men's--become compromised." Every now and then, Hall says, forget the laundry and other tasks, go to bed half an hour earlier, and make sex the priority.

"I'm too stressed-out."

Schedule "gripe sessions" to keep stress from spilling over into the bedroom. Take a few minutes at the end of the day to decompress individually, says Weiner-Davis: Read a magazine, play with the cat. Then get together to vent about your day. Just limit the shared kvetching time to less than 30 minutes--allowing it to drag on indefinitely can make the relationship feel negative.

Get Energized

"I'm exhausted, but I can never get to sleep at a decent hour."

Make a few crucial changes. Researchers already know how the vast majority of people with sleep problems can start to snooze better: Use the bed only for sleep and sex--and remove all work materials, computers, and televisions from the bedroom. Keep things cool and dark (even something as inconsequential as the light from your alarm clock may make you feel more awake, so face it away from you). Make sure to stick to a regular bedtime and wake time, even on weekends, to prime your body to fall asleep when you get into bed.

"I get enough sleep, but I'm still exhausted."

Check your thyroid--or your iron level. A sluggish thyroid is a common energy sapper among women over age 50, says Lynne Kirk, MD, president of the American College of Physicians. More than 5% of all 50-plus females have signs of a failing thyroid, Kirk says, but the problem is frequently overlooked by doctors. "Have a blood test to screen for hypothyroidism every 5 to 10 years after the age of 50," she recommends. If you're premenopausal, get checked for anemia--a common cause of fatigue in younger women.

"I'm wiped out by stress."

Create relaxation cues. Stress is physically exhausting, says William Boggs, MD, medical director at the Center of Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland. So turn a frequent activity into a trigger for a relaxation exercise: Every time you grab a glass of water, for instance, stop for a few minutes of deep breathing. "This brings your stress levels down," Boggs says, "and makes you able to handle the next stressful situation that comes along."

Find Time for Myself

"There simply is no more time in the day."

Take advantage of waiting around. When running errands, always come prepared for downtime, says time-management consultant Julie Morgenstern, author of Time Management from the Inside Out. "Always bring extra activities--bills, a stack of thank-you notes--so you can stay productive," she advises. Other time-savers: Ask for the first appointment of the day, when your doctor (or hairstylist) is unlikely to be running behind. Avoid filling prescriptions at the beginning of the month; that's when lines are longest. And on your voicemail, ask callers to repeat phone numbers so you don't have to listen to messages twice.

"My free time comes in dribs and drabs, so I can't plan anything interesting."

Instead of window-shopping, put your money down. If you're ambivalent about taking time for yourself, you may resist jumping into a demanding activity. But if the time you spend window-shopping or flipping through a tabloid feels wasted, sign up for a class or scheduled activity instead. "A structured escape will fuel your soul and give you energy for other areas of your life," Morgenstern says. Besides, putting it on your calendar raises the odds you'll follow through.

"I feel guilty when I take time for myself."

Shift your focus. You may be making yourself feel worse by imagining that you ought to be able to do it all--and have time for yourself, says Susan Piver, author of The Hard Questions book series. "True contentment comes from a life fully lived," Piver says. "Take a deep breath and remember why you're doing what you're doing. Thinking about that is energizing."

5 Meet-Your-Goal Moves

What you do before you start to change a habit is crucial, researchers say--and so are a couple of key moves in the midst of your efforts. Here are the most critical steps you can take toward success

1. Make a plan. Research shows it's essential to think ahead about what you'll do and when, says John C. Norcross, PhD, a psychologist at the University of Scranton. Get specific: That forces you to prepare for inevitable barriers and temptations, he says. "Launching a New Year's resolution with no planning is like jumping out of an airplane and then trying to sew your parachute on the way down."

2. Believe that you will succeed. Self-efficacy, psychologists' term for the belief that you can do it, gives you an essential boost, says Norcross, because it helps you keep trying in the face of obstacles. How do you develop that belief? By mastering small challenges first (opting for the salad over the bread sticks, for example), and then moving on to bigger ones (committing to attend a group like Weight Watchers).

3. Get your friends and family on board. Studies show that getting people involved in your behavior change--whether it's a trainer or a friend who joins you for walks or routinely asks about your progress--can help keep you focused and your motivation high.

4. Reward yourself. Create small, achievable targets on the way to your big goal, and celebrate every success. If you go a week without a late-night snacking session, buy yourself flowers or a new book. Rewards condition you to expect a good outcome, says addiction researcher Alan Marlatt, PhD, of the University of Washington--and that optimism will help you keep going when things get tough.

5. Never stop trying. Making a change is a long process, with inevitable slipups along the way. Think of even failed attempts as steps toward eventual success, says Marlatt, who points to studies on people trying to quit smoking: Though just 40% succeeded on the first try, another 20% reached their goal after more than six attempts. No matter what your resolution, persistence pays off.

From Prevention.com