Ring in 2014 by stopping by Pathfinder Produce this Thursday afternoon, Jan. 2, from 2 to 5 p.m. for the freshest, most-competitively priced fruits and veggies around!
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The holiday season has drawn to a close, and some of us have made New Year’s resolutions to improve our health. Many resolve to lose weight and exercise more; sadly, these goals may go to the wayside as we become immersed in life’s hectic pace.
Without any studies or evidence to base my thoughts on, I believe most of us who fail in our resolutions do so because we set the bar too high. While it’s a good thing to want to lose 25 pounds, the goal is so hard to attain that it is easy to say “the heck with it” the next time a co-worker brings in cookies, your mother-in-law offers you an extra helping of mashed potatoes, or “there’s just a dab of mac-‘n-cheese to finish and it’s not worth saving.”
So, why not try to set the bar lower, and establish “pathways” that allow you to achieve incremental successes? (It’s like the old saying, but with a twist: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.)
So rather than saying you’re going to lose those 25 pounds, make resolutions that gradually lower your calorie intake and increase your activity, like: “I resolve to not eat second-helpings,” and “I will take a five minute walk during my lunch break.” Another good resolution is to compare food ingredients and nutrition labels while grocery shopping, and to develop an understanding of how things like carbohydrates, trans fats, and sodium levels can affect your overall health.
I think we’re hard wired in such a way that once we realize success through one behavior change, it helps us embrace other, more significant changes. At least that’s what I’ve observed among several of my friends who have had significant weight losses and who have kept the weight off successfully.
One of my co-workers, Mike, has done an incredible job in losing and keeping off over 110 pounds since 2009, chiefly through watching what he eats, how much he eats, drinking more water, and walking. He stays away from chips, his admitted weakness, and avoids soda all together. He keeps a journal of everything he eats, which is a great way to “keep it real.” He has set some basic rules for himself, and is disciplined about observing each of those rules. I noticed that during a holiday party we both were at, he stayed away from high fat, carb laden foods, and opted for fresh fruit and veggies.
Mike has inspired others; we all cheer him on through Facebook as he works toward his health goals. His story is proof that you don’t have to go for crazy commercial diet systems or become an “uber gym rat” to lose weight. His success is due to his commitment to achievable behavior changes.
A lifelong friend, Rhonda, has used incremental behavior changes to lose over 100 pounds, and to battle debilitating Parkinson’s disease, which she has had for over 15 years. Over 10 years ago, she relied on a wheelchair to get about. By 2009, she suffered seizures and a stroke. Following several surgeries to help control her PD, and encouraged by her husband and sons, Rhonda adopted a vegetarian diet and started running. (Dopamine is created in the brain while running; this boost helps combat Parkinson’s, which is a motor system disorder caused by the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells).
“It was very short distances at first. It was something like running to a tree and back,” she said in an interview with her local newspaper. “But it slowly grew over time.” Since March 2011, she has run in over 60 half marathons, trains each day when she feels well, and hopes to return for her second Boston Marathon this coming April. She is determined to cross the finish line.
So, during the New Year 2014, set some achievable goals to improve your health. Everyone here at Pathfinder Produce wishes you great success and is cheering you from the sidelines as you head toward your personal finish line.
Have a safe and Happy New Year, everyone!
Lori
