Realistic resolutions

By Tom Valeo
Published December 19, 2006

The Journal of the American Medical Association last month published the results of a study of 5,820 American men of Japanese descent. These men had been followed since 1965, when they were an average of 54.

Researchers found that the men still alive at the end of the study shared six qualities:

- They didn't smoke.

- They had no more than two alcoholic drinks per day.

- They had normal blood sugar.

- They had normal blood pressure.

- They were of normal weight.

- They still possessed significant physical strength.

The men who possessed these traits had a two-in-three chance of reaching age 85, according to the study, and better than a 50-50 chance of reaching that age in good health.

No smoking, little drinking, normal weight and good muscles - the goals of so many New Year's resolutions.

So, how can you set and achieve realistic resolutions?

The American Council on Exercise offers tips to help people stick to their New Year's resolutions, and not just those focused on health and fitness:

1. Set resolutions that are realistic and based on your personal history. Learn from your failures. For instance, if you want to exercise five days a week but you haven't done that in the past, vow to work out twice a week.

2. Set short-term goals. You can't lose 100 pounds or get a Ph.D. in a month. But you can lose 2 to 3 pounds a week, or work toward your degree a few credits at a time.

3. Evaluate whether you have the skills to attain the goal of your resolution. If your objective requires skills you have not tried, start by reading about the proper path to achieving that goal.

4. Write down your resolution and your plan. Be concise and remember: A well-laid-out plan helps ensure success.

5. Keep track of your progress and review it periodically.

6. Develop a "can-do" attitude, lose the excuses. Don't say: "It's too late for me to go back to school." Instead: "There's no age limit to getting a degree - and to getting a better job."

7. Get support. Reach out to family, friends or others who can encourage you if your resolve weakens.

8. Learn how to deal with problems.

9. Celebrate your "successes" and take credit for achieving them. If you fail, figure out how you can do better.

For more information, go to www.acefitness.org.

[Last modified December 19, 2006, 08:13:20]