Tag: new years

The year is almost over. If you are one of those individuals who believes in making one or more New Year’s resolutions then the time has come.

About 50 per cent of the adults will start off 2017 with at least one promise to change for the better.

Statistics show six in 10 people drink alcohol regularly but only three in 10 get involved in regular exercise. Men are more physically active than women. Sixty per cent of the adults are overweight (BMI 25 to 30) or obese (BMI over 30). Forty per cent of the adults do not have adequate sleep. So there is lot to change.

I believe one should keep New Year’s resolutions simple. Eating healthy, doing physical exercise regularly, not smoking, avoiding alcohol or only drink in moderation, maintaining a healthy body weight, and sleep at least eight hours each night would be a good start.

You need only one resolution, “In 2017, I want to be healthy and stay healthy. I will apply the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle.”

If you do not have self-discipline to accomplish your goals then there are many organizations and individuals who can help. YMCA is a good place to start.

Do not forget to spend time with your loved ones. No goals are complete without the love and affection of your partner and family. In fact get the family involved in your pursuit of good health and make it more fun. Keeping those you love close and making time for your family can be an important goal.

You should be able to find 15 minutes in a day to meditate. May be during lunch hour or in the evenings before going to bed. There are many physical and mental benefits to meditation. You will find this will provide significant reduction in your stress level.

Listening to music and/or reading a book in a quite place can be very peaceful and healthy. I find spending few hours in the library very relaxing and I am able to stay focused in what I am trying to achieve.

Most people find losing weight very difficult. Again the principal is simple. Eat less and exercise more. Try to lose 10 pounds in a year (not in a week or a month) and then you will find you can lose 30 pounds in three years. It can be that simple. Slow and steady wins the race. And apply the KISS principle.

A new study released a few days ago (British Medical Journal, Dec 13, 2016) says a positive outlook is relevant to your future health. Enjoying life can reduce stress, which in turn may prolong life.

OK you get the point. Personally, I do what I say in my book, “Dr. B’s Eight Steps to Wellness” – healthy eating, no smoking, exercise, stress relief, sleep, sexual empowerment, laughter and meditation. That works for me.

Happy New Year and may you be blessed with good health, happiness and lots of love and laughter in 2017 and beyond.

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The other day a friend said to me, “Every year I make a resolution to change myself. This year I am making a resolution to be myself.” Sounds pretty sensible to me.

Anyway, who started this idea of making a New Year’s resolution?

“A New Year’s resolution is a secular tradition, most common in the Western Hemisphere but also found in the Eastern Hemisphere, in which a person makes a promise to do an act of self-improvement, …” says an article in Wikipedia.

The ancient Babylonians and the Romans began each year by making promises to the gods. Similarly, there are many stories in the literature about other religious groups doing something significant in the New Year. The main goal is to reflect upon self-improvement on a yearly basis.

“At the end of the Great Depression, about a quarter of American adults formed New Year’s resolutions. At the start of the 21st century, about 40 per cent did,” says Wikipedia.

New Year’s Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want to make and resolve to follow through on those changes.

Some of the common resolutions are: spend more time with family and friends, join a fitness club, lose weight, quit smoking, enjoy life more, quit drinking, get out of debt, learn something new, help others and get organized. Hmm…! How successful are you with resolutions?

A 2007 study from the University of Bristol involving 3,000 people showed that 88 per cent of those who set New Year resolutions fail. Men achieved their goal 22 per cent more often when they engaged in goal setting, something more specific than saying “lose weight.” Women succeeded 10 per cent more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.

One way to succeed in achieving your goal is to join a group with similar goals or have a friendly competition with a colleague or a family member.

Do we have to make a New Year’s resolution? Not really. Life goes on. Just be a nice person and keep smiling.

Have a wonderful happy New Year.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!

Being happy may be your only resolution for the New Year. But remember what Aldous Huxley, an English writer said, “Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities.”

Depending on your age, you have probably made hundreds of New Year’s resolutions in your lifetime. But these resolutions do not last more than a few days to a few weeks. There are other important things in life that take up our time and money.

There are hundreds of businesses that tell you how their products will make you healthy, wealthy and wise. I am sure they mean well. But how many people succeed in achieving their goals?

So what’s my point? It is simple. Don’t make life too complicated. Stay focused on your goal. Avoid doing too many things at the same time. Be happy and don’t worry too much… remember I said too much. Some element of worry is required to achieve your goal. Make a long term plan. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a year or after a New Year’s resolution.

Since I do not know everything (and that is the truth!), I did some research. According to www.USA.gov there are thirteen New Year’s resolutions popular every year. It provides information that can help you achieve your goals in 2014.

Here is the list: 1. Lose Weight, 2. Volunteer to Help Others, 3. Quit Smoking, 4. Get a Better Education, 5. Get a Better Job, 6. Save Money, 7. Get Fit, 8. Eat Healthy Food, 9. Manage Stress, 10. Manage Debt, 11. Take a Trip, 12. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, 13. Drink Less Alcohol.

Losing weight is on top of the list. There are many ways to lose weight, but it is not always easy. The article says, “The key to successful weight loss is making changes in your eating and physical activity habits that you can keep up for the rest of your life.” The message is, “KISS – keep it simple stupid.” Sorry about that.

If you are five feet tall then you should not be over 125 pounds in weight. If you are six feet tall then you should not be over 175 pounds in weight. You can find a full chart on the website mentioned earlier.

Make sure your healthy eating plan is one that has fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Include lean meats, poultry, fish, bean, eggs, and nuts. And is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

That is all for today. Be happy, don’t worry, laugh a lot and have a wonderful safe New Year. Remember what Walter Bagehot, a British journalist and businessman said, “The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!