#WINNING your New Year’s health #GOALS

If your #goals are a healthy dose of wellness, you’re not alone. Come Jan. 1, many of us are vowing to make healthy changes and live better in 2024.

More than a third of Americans say they’re making New Year’s resolutions this year, according to a CBS poll. Of the top five most common, three relate to health. Exercising more comes in at number two, eating healthier is number three and losing weight is number five.

This doesn’t surprise FGCU assistant professor of exercise science Dr. Patricia Bauer. “Every time the new year comes around, it is common that it’s a time to kind of restart, revamp or revise.”

Gyms are bustling, people are eating their veggies, doing a hard-stop on smoking, drinking or undesirable habits. Sadly, most good intentions fall flat in a couple of weeks. “They might start off right at the beginning but to expect that you’ll be able to keep something really extreme for an extended period of time is not realistic,” Bauer said.

The biggest problem is we expect too much, too soon. Experts say the set up for success isn’t sexy. It’s planning.

Anytime someone wants to make a behavior change, it can take three months to make a change. Patricia Bauer, Phd FGCU

Dr. Bauer advises to start with reasonable goal. For instance, exercise twice a week, even if it’s as simple as a daily walk. When it comes to diet, stick to healthy foods on certain days instead of saying goodbye to snacks all at once. If your plan is digestible, you’re more likely to keep it up and step it up. Then, hold yourself accountable.

“Tracking, whether it’s digital tracking, or I’m a little more pen and paper myself, journal, write it down,” said Bauer. “Those kinds of actions help it sink in.”

Don’t expect results overnight. Data suggests it takes time to develop long-lasting habits. “Anytime someone wants to make a behavior change, it can take three months to make a change,” Bauer said, “so this idea that I’m going to just do this month of January or I’m going to do this for two to three weeks. It’s a long-term investment.”

So, if you’re really serious about making healthy changes, plan to stick with it until March for your best chance at #winning.

In case you were wondering, the CBS poll found 59% of Americans ranked “saving money” as the top goal this year.