Here's How to Stick to Your Promises

It's that time in December when we all secretly set goals for the upcoming year: lose weight, go to the gym and find a new job. Inevitably, most people stray from their New Year's resolutions, mainly because the goals they set are out of reach.

So here are some useful tips to making your resolutions for 2011 attainable:

1. Set realistic goals

Smaller attainable promises are easier to reach and don't feel burdensome.  Example: I will lose five pounds by June or I vow to exercise at home or at the gym at least three times a week.

 2. Don't Make Too Many Resolutions

 It's natural to want to change lots of things but honestly, make it easy on yourself by setting fewer goals. They will be easier to track and work on and be less likely to fail.

 3. Make sure your resolution is your own

Don't try to please others (spouses, friends and relatives) by living up to their expectations. Live up to your own expectations and everyone - trust me - will be happier for it.

4. Make a series of small attainable goals to reach that big one.

This one is great for losing weight and landing that great new job.  If you want to lose 20 pounds, break it up into five pound goals so that each time you lose five pounds you will be motivated to take that next step. 

The same goes for landing a new job. This can be broken up in steps like these:

• Rewrite my resume
• Research 10 companies offering the job I want
• Make contacts at my companies of choice
  
• Attend two networking events a month
• Find a mentor in my field/company of interest 

Before you know it you're on your way to reaching your goal.

5.  Keep a journal

Track your progress. You don't have to write long entries. Just write down what you did to get you closer to your goals.

6. Reward Yourself

Treat yourself for reaching milestones that get you closer to your goals. 

7. Don't Give Up

We all suffer setbacks, so don't beat yourself up about it. Go ahead and accept the failures and get back to working on your resolutions. 

Good Luck! Happy 2011 from Davie Health and Rehabilitation!

Whether you live in Florida or up north under a foot of snow, here are some great tips to stay in shape, keep the weight off and remain pain free. 

The less you weight, the less body pain you have
So losing weight is ideal not just for being healthy but reducing those nagging body (back) aches.  Ideal Protein is Davie Heath's diet of choice, but select anything that works best for your lifestyle. 

Visit Your Chiropractor
The cooler weather might make your back pain feel worse. Make an appointment with your chiropractor to help with those body aches. 

Keep exercising
Just because it's colder than usual or there are more parties to go to doesn't mean you should stop your normal routine. Keeping moving and that will at least help you from gaining weight or gaining too much weight. It will also keep you warm.

Go Outside
Brr right? Winter sports burn up even more calories than you can imagine. So take to the slopes or trudge through the snow. If you live in warmer climates, a brisk walk is always great to get your heart pumping.

Drink Lots of Water, Less Alcohol
Water helps flush out toxins and even fat. So drink as much water as you can  because you need to drink (water) to shrink. Don't drink as much alcohol. The holidays are full of parties. There's lots to temp you and you should indulge. Just don't overdo it. You'll reduce the risk of a hangover and reduce the amount of bad calories you're consuming.

More great tips

Many people pack on the pounds over Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's and then vow to diet and lose weight in the new year.  But if you stick to proteins and veggies, you can reduce your weight gain and keep your figure, not to mention remove one New Year's resolution from your list. 

It's when you start downing the sweets and chugging the alcohol that your weight will begin to increase.  Limit the number of desserts to a few per party and you won't have a problem. The same goes for alcohol. Fewer trips to the bar will help you control that weight over the next few weeks. 

At Davie Health & Rehabilitation, we recommend Ideal Protein, a line of prepared foods that help people manage their weight and ultimately change their eating habits. Our staff at Davie Health will follow your progress and teach you proper eating habits that will help insure weight loss and ultimately, better overall health.

Here's a great story about the benefits of a high protein diet. Learn more about Ideal Protein.

At Davie Health, we know our bodies need carbohydrates. We subscribe to the belief that you should get those carbs from fruits and vegetables.  

We also know it's hard to cut out those things we crave - pizza, pasta, burgers, fries and sweets. We just think that you should plan ahead and cheat on one or two meals a week.

Cheating actually helps you maintain your weight and even drop of few pounds.

When you're dieting (not our favorite word at Davie Health), your body will eventually adjust to your eating habits, causing you to plateau. Cheating once a week will keep your body from adjusting, and make your body work harder to burn those additional calories. 

So cheat a little this holiday season - just not too much.