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BY CHRIS TRABER Staff Writer Whether it’s shedding a few pounds, kicking tobacco, getting in dupe or whatever will make you happier, New Year resolutions have an aver- age shelf life of about threeiweeks. _ ' You can improve your chances of succeeding if you set smart goals, York Region health profes- sionals agree. The voperative word, or acronym, is Carly Riding SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realis- Newmarket Goodfoe Fitnas Club general manager tic and timely. _â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"-â€"â€"â€" “Making small changes to eating habits will increase your chance of success. You have increase your daily vegetables over the first month, add three fruits as snacks and measure your progress by keeping uaclc" ,4 “I think it' is a good time," York Region Com- munity and Health Services nutritionist Nancy Bevilacqua said of New Year’s, _ “We'Qe got a new slate, butane reason people fall 03 resolutibns is that they don’t set realistic Ms Bevilacqua said resOlufions can come to fruition if you follow the smart goal strategy. Set- ting nebulous objectives can cloud the_ process. “If you see a program, promising you’ll lose 30 pounds in 30 days, it's not realistic or healthy," she said. Healthy weight loss is a half to two pounds a week. “My best advice is to be realistic, know why you want to achieve it and map it_out_.” 7‘Saying you Want to eat healthy isn’t specific realistic or timely," she said. Srhall' changes _are' like baby steps, she said. Health Services colleague and tobacco pro- gram clinical nurse specialist Rosemary Lamont said the New Year is ripe for smoking cessation resolutions. You say you want a resolution? “Absolutely,” she said. “It’s a time of transition when you look at the year ahead and. besides, it ’5 cold outside." Working with community partners, the region ofiers several free stop smoking programs. The first part of the year usually witnesses more motivated participants “The (smoking cessation) process can take three to seven attempts before people are suc- cessful," Ms Lamont said. “Every quit attempt is good because you can learn from each.” As with all éelf-improvement, you have to be motivated. ‘ . “You have to be ready to quit," she said. “The key is to make a plan, make a quit date and circle it on the calendar. Look at why and when you smoke and identify the triggers. Once you know that, change your environment‘and routines." 7 “Smokihg'is a physical, behavioral and social addiction. It helps to have positive support. not nagging” “Big time," she said. “Research shows that 90 per cent of Canadians make lifestyle change decisions in the New Year. We see a 30 per cent increase in membership in the New Year.” Nefimarket GoodLife Fitness Club general manager Carly Riding is familiar with New Year resolutions. If your goal is gettihg fit, slimmer, healthier or more defined, go slow and steady. Ms Riding said. ‘Don’t try and do too well, saying you'll Moutfivetimesamklttakes 2‘1 daysforsolmfliingtobecomeahabit If you fail within 21 days, the resolution fails too.’ “Don't Hy and do too much, saying you'll workoutfivetimesaweek." she said “Ittakes 21 days for something to become a habit If you fail within 21 days, the resolution fails too." “The secret is to do something you enjoy. We! help tailor an enjoyable setting and workout: program for you.” r V A x Seneca College psychology and sociology professor Cindy Chisvin advocates positive per- sonal change but isn’t a fan of the timing. “Resolutions are goals for improving one’s life, be it a better job, relationship or health. Early January may not be a good time for you to start. What you really need to do is pick a time of year for your choosing,” “Everyone sees the New Year as an opportu- nityforafieshstartandiscaughtupintheidea of celebration,” the Thomhill resident said. “Is it wise? Not really. It's a time dictated by the calendar and hype." She is, howevér, a supporter of the smart goal concept. “If you set goals too high you can be over- whelmed and you're setting yourself up for fail- ure," said Ms who has also have a pri- vate family practice. “If you you'll abandon the goal. Keep things realistic, make things tangible and reward yourself along the way. “Start small and try and make yOur resolution specific, not vague,” she said. “It helps to write it down because then it's more realistic and it can be monitored. she She also suggests a support network or family and friends who can encourage the process. Slips and slides are to be expected with resoâ€" lutions, the experts say. Learning from errors is part of the path. “It can definitely be done," Ms Lamont said. “Resolutions can be successful. Just take them one day at a time.” Changing habits and behavior is essential, Stouflville Sun-Tribune I Thursday, Ian. 8, 1. Take care of yourself. Besides exercising and eating well, what’s really important is getting enough sleep. Sleep heals 2. Learn to relax. Do you realize how little pure relaxation you prob- ably get?When was the last time you gave. your mind a break? Or indulged yourself! You don't have to go out of town for a little vacation. Just do things you don’t ordinarily do. 3. Laugh. Nothing makes you feel better about yourself or the world around you than a good laugh. It’s great medicine, especially if you can learn to laugh at yourself. Laughter heals, too. It's therapeutic. 4. Adopt a philosophy of kindness. Doing things for others is a great tonic when you’re feeling down. It’s a win-win. Helping others makes you feel included and empowered. 5. Nurture your friendships. In the winter, especially, it’s so easy to cocoon and not see people you care about. Makeadealwithyourselfto see friends you may have neglected. These conversations are good for the soul, not only because you’re expressing your feelings, you're lis- tening and being there for someone who may really need you. 6. Stop procrastinating and do it now! Time management is an ongo- ing challenge for all of us There's too much to do. Too little time to do it. Procrastination doesn’t help. It makes you feel worse. Make realistic daily “to do" lists. Do one thing each day. One thing you’ve really wanted to do, even if it's only cleaning off your desk. You’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment and be encouraged to do more. 7. Try new things. It’s easy to do things the same old way, every day, day in and day out. Try something new? It's exciting to learn new things or make little changes in your life. Change is part of life and it can be invigorating. Don’t resist change. Embrace it. It's mental and emo- tional exercise and it’s healthy. Good for the brain. 8. Let go of guilt and stop worry- ing. You can't change the past, so why dwell on it? ' 10. Ask for help. If you're having emotional problems and you need support, ask for it. Just don't suffer in silence. You don’t have to. There’s help out there. But you have to ask for it. 9. It’s okay to be good enough. Perfectionism can be debilitating. Recognize it, if you tend to be too hard on yourself and lighten up. Source: Healthzone.ca For more smoking cessation information, call the Smokers Help Line at 1-877-513-5333 or visit www. smokershelpline.ca on line. For details on the.region's quit smoking study; call 905â€"830â€"4444, ext 3052. 10 resolutions to set the stage for better emotional health