Progress Check: Did You Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution?
It’s practically an annual tradition for us to make a New Year’s resolution just to see it fizzle out a couple months later. We often hear people talk about dieting, exercising, and even quitting smoking. Is there a secret when it comes to actually sticking to your resolution? It all comes down to having reasonable expectations. If you set attainable goals when it comes to exercise or diet, you’ll be headed on the way towards success.
As a starting point, it’s a good idea to consult with a nutritionist or personal trainer. They’ll be able to make an objective assessment of what you need to work on. We’ve talked in previous posts about how everyone needs an approach that suits their unique needs. A professional can provide you with a tailored plan along with some much needed accountability.
Get Moving!
As I was getting ready for clinic the other morning, I saw a segment on the Today show that said the average time we pick up or phones throughout the day was astronomical. It made me a little more aware of how much I pick up my phone. I think we simply need to put the devices down and get moving.
When it comes to achieving your resolution, it’s as simple as keeping yourself active. After speaking with more and more patients, it’s clear that we’re experiencing an epidemic of sitting down. We’re extremely preoccupied with devices like computers and smartphones for most of our day.
What’s so bad about using our devices for so long? The issue is that our heads are looking down in a fixed position. The same thing applies when you’re sitting on your butt at your office chair looking down at your computer. That fixed position can potentially contribute to a lot of different issues like neck pain, low back pain, and even excessive weight gain. That’s why it’s so important that we take time throughout the day to interrupt our sitting.
Track Progress
Think about purchasing an inexpensive pedometer to track exactly how many steps you’re taking throughout a given day. The recommendation is 12,000 to 15,000 steps. You can set a reasonable goal of 10,000 steps, for example. If you just pay attention to that metric, you’ll end up feeling measurably better. I always ask patients that are experiencing neck or low back pain what activities they do secondary to sitting at a desk for 8 hours. If the answer is not much, you need to get off of your butt and get moving.
You’ll notice that you’re starting to feel great once you start doing these things. You can talk to doctors and therapists, and you can pay attention to the recommendations that I’m making. However, once you notice that you feel better, you’ll develop traction and see that there’s some validity to your approach. It’ll motivate you to keep going and doing more. The changes you can make are simple—they don’t have to cost money to be effective.
You don’t have to go out and spend a fortune on gym memberships or fancy diets. It’s as simple as waking up and making the commitment to standing up every half hour, tracking your daily steps, or putting down your device for a while. When you feel better, you’ll be on track towards sticking to your resolution and staying out of the doctor’s office.
To learn more about how we can help you set and reach attainable goals, contact us online or give us a call at (918) 743-3737.
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