Why Your New Year's Resolution is Dumb
It’s not a personal attack or an attempt to belittle anyone for trying to improve themselves but let me reiterate in case there’s any confusion:
Most of your New Year’s Resolutions are dumb.
I’m in the business of healthcare. My job and my passions are not only to help the people that come to me feel better, but to give them the tools to keep them feeling their best. For a typical patient, this might be instruction for a home stretching routine, maybe some dietary advice, or recommendations on a pillow or mattress. Regardless of the specific patient’s needs, the goal is making small, sustainable changes that can make a long-standing positive impact, not a whole-sale immediate and drastic lifestyle overhaul.
This approach can and should be taken when setting goals for a new year, and there is a “smart” way to remember how to make better, more meaningful resolutions.
SMART goal setting is more than just a way to re-think your yearly proclamation that “This year, I’ll get in shape” (usually said with a mouthful of food in the midst of the cookie and cheese fueled cluster-f*** of the holiday season. I’m also describing myself, no judgement). It is a way to look at any changes you want to make in your life and a roadmap for how to best turn those changes into habits that stick. So how do you best utilize SMART goal setting? Here are a few examples of dumb New Year’s resolutions and suggestions for a smarter one.
I Want To Get in Better Shape
What kind of shape are you in currently? Did you fall off your normal cardio routine in the last few months of the year or have you been essentially sedentary since your ”glory days” on the court or field all those years ago? Getting in better shape needs to be done in a way to minimize not only your risk of injury, but your risk of not sticking with it. For the person coming in in fairly good cardiovascular shape, their SMART resolution may be, “I want to go to a spin class twice a week this year”. Specific? Very. By stating that they want to go twice a week shows a way of measuring progress and assuming this person is starting with a certain baseline level of fitness, we can consider it both realistic and relevant. Finally, saying “this year” puts a time-bound target on it, helping accountability.
But what if someone is “starting from scratch” in their fitness goals? A SMART resolution may be, “I want to walk for at least 20 minutes 3 days a week this year”. Go through our checklist and see that this could be a perfect resolution for someone who may be starting from a place of lower overall cardiovascular health. Having vague, undefined, or unrealistic goals is a sure-fire way to burn out quick or even hurt yourself.
I Want to Eat Better
Another super common, yet very dumb, New Year’s resolution. What does that even mean? Eat better than what? Is this specifically just to lose weight or for overall health? Chances are, if you already have solid dietary habits this was not your resolution this year. But let’s say for that person who has never taken their diet seriously, what is a SMART way to change those habits?
“I will drink 64oz of water every day this year”
Grab that sweet new Yeti you got for Christmas and carry it around with you throughout the day. You can physically make tally marks on a paper or white board like I did myself two years ago to keep track, or there are any number of water drinking apps out there to help you track your intake.
“This year I will add a handful of vegetable to one meal a day, 5 days a week”
BOOM. I love this suggestion because it is what’s known as “diet by addition”. If fruits or veggies have never been your thing, just keep eating the way you do but add a handful of something to your meals. It’ll fill you up quicker, get you some extra vitamins and nutrients, and by exposing yourself to different types of food, you may even start to find ones you actually enjoy.
I Want to Read More
Was the last book you read only to get those delicious Book-It personal pan-pizzas at Pizza Hut? Probably not the best idea to pledge to read 100 books this year… How about “I’ll read The Game of Thrones series by the beginning of Summer”. A pretty substantial amount of reading, but a more realistic approach. And if dragons and magic and blood is your thing, definitely relevant. A more seasoned reader? Then saying that you want to read 100 books in a year may be a more realistic and attainable goal, and you’ll certainly have my respect.
*Note: I know the series is called A Song of Fire and Ice. I’m just trying to get into the headspace of someone who hasn’t done a lot of reading, so chill. Nerds…
Regardless of what your goals may be, New Year’s or otherwise, there are people out there that can help you along the way. For instance, if you’d like to read more, talk to a friend that you know loves to read and get some recommendations. If it is more health, fitness, or nutrition focused, there are all kinds of professionals that would love to assist you on your journey. Personal Trainers, Dieticians, Chiropractors *cough* *cough* can all be a great place to start when setting these types of goals. So reach out. Stop being dumb. Set SMART goals and start something that you’ll want to see become a regular and positive part of your life.