Des Moines Register
12-31-06
Be your best self in 2007
By DAWN SAGARIO
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
If you're a habitual resolution-maker whose resolve crumbles at the sight of that
first chocolate brownie or before you can lace up those new running shoes, listen
up. Sometimes, starting with the smallest changes can be the catalyst for the
biggest results. You not only get to revel in the little victories along the way to
your ultimate goal, but also gain motivation and inspiration to reach your final
objective. So what are you waiting for? From eating more healthfully to enriching
your relationships with others, here are 52 ways to help you "get it together" in
the upcoming new year and make all of your ambitions come true.
Eating better, losing weight
1. Eat slowly.
It's true: You'll consume fewer calories when taking your time to eat a meal.
According to a study released in October, 30 college-age women were each
given a large plate of pasta on two separate occasions, and were told to eat as
much as they wanted.
When they ate quickly, they consumed 646 calories in nine minutes, according to
researchers from the University of Rhode Island. When they paused between
bites and chewed each mouthful 15 to 20 times, they ate 579 calories in 29
minutes.
2. Make the switch.
Eating better doesn't have to mean drastic changes in your diet. Start off with
baby steps.
Some simple suggestions: choose whole-wheat bread instead of white; drink 1
percent or skim milk instead of whole; choose low-fat cheeses; substitute one
soda a day with water; or try broiled or grilled chicken strips, instead of fried, on
your salad.
3. Fill up on fruits and vegetables.
Including them into your diet can be as simple as throwing sliced bananas or
some blueberries into your cereal in the morning, or grabbing a bag of store-cut
and cleaned veggies to have with lunch.
Think of including a fruit and vegetable in every meal, said Susan Klein,
nutrition and health field specialist with the Iowa State University
Extension.
The amount of vegetables and fruits a person needs depends on age, sex and
level of physical activity. Go to www.5aday.gov to find out how much you need.
4. Keep healthy foods handy and visible.
Have a fruit bowl at home, Klein suggested. At work, ask that fruit and vegetables
are included in the snacks during meetings - bananas, apples, grapes are easy
treats to prepare. Klein often brings enough fruit to work to last her a week, and
she keeps it visible on her desk.
She makes it a point to eat one piece of fruit before leaving each day. Klein also
keeps individual servings of canned fruit in her desk.
5. Make time for breakfast.
Research has shown that one of the key factors to losing and keeping weight off
is to have breakfast, Klein said. People who have that morning meal eat fewer
calories in the day.
Those who skip it "are going to be so starved that you tend to overeat. You tend
to eat anything that is there, and it tends to be something that has a lot of
calories," she said.
6. Grow it yourself.
Start scouting gardening stores and catalogs for seeds you'll use to grow your
own garden, said Brian Smith, a clinical dietitian with Iowa Health-Des Moines.
For classes on gardening or more information, check with Iowa State University
Extension (www.extension.iastate.edu) or garden retailers.
7. Get cooking.
Expand your culinary horizons. Smith suggested attending cooking classes
through an adult education program, or at grocery stores or restaurants.
Doing so can help you make food choices that have fewer calories and fat and
more nutrients. Take a class with a friend or family member and enjoy some
bonding time.
8. Learn to read food labels.
How much do you really know about what's in your food? Do you want to boost
your fiber intake or curb your sodium consumption?
Smith recommends reading Iowa State Extension's "Get Ready for the New
Nutrition Facts Panel," available in PDF format at www.
extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1979.pdf to get the lowdown on reading
food labels.
9. Pare down portions.
Little changes can make a big difference. Split an entree with a friend at a
restaurant, or take half of it home. Try pouring a certain amount of snack food
into a bowl when eating and watching television; that will keep you from
overeating, according to portion control tips from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. Try the eye-opening Portion Distortion Quiz (Go to
www.nhlbi.nih. gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/index.htm, click on
"Portion Distortion") to see how servings today compare to those 20 years ago,
and how much exercise it takes to burn off the extra calories.
10. Experiment with spices.
Go beyond salt when it comes to adding flavor to food. Look up different spices
on the Internet, and experiment with them.
Dozens of herbs, spices, peppers, chiles, vinegars, extracts, fruit juices and
wines can add flavor to food, Smith said.
11. Choose fresh more often.
Foods that have undergone minimal processing are most times the best choices,
Smith said. Sodium, fats and additives are added in many food preservation
processes. Fill your grocery cart with foods that include fresh fruits, vegetables,
and poultry, plain fish, lean meats and whole grains.
Exercise and fitness
12. Set a goal, write it down.
Don't forget to include the reason for that goal, said Brent Havermann, a personal
trainer at Fitness World West in West Des Moines.
Doing so helps keep you accountable. If you want to lose 20 pounds, jot down
why - to fit into a pair of jeans, feel better, or look great at an upcoming wedding
or reunion.
Post the goal in a visible spot where you'll see it daily, like on the refrigerator or
near the bathroom mirror.
13. Map out a fitness plan.
Make short-term goals for yourself, Havermann said, and write these down, too.
It can be to lose 5 pounds by the end of January, or being able to walk a mile in
30 minutes.
Establishing and reaching these short-term goals gives you motivation to reach
your long-term target.
14. Get off on the right foot.
There's a shoe for every activity, and they come in a wide range of prices. If you
walk and run, you should get a pair for each activity, according to WebMD.com's
"10 Tips for Choosing Athletic Shoes."
You should know what your foot type is (whether you have high arches or flat
feet) before buying shoes, and shop for shoes toward the end of the day, as your
feet swell. Check out the rest of the tips at
www.webmd.com/content/article/108/108999.
15. Keep boredom at bay.
There's no reason for you to get into a workout slump with the slew of fitness
options that now abound - that includes everything from workouts you can
download onto your MP3 player, to DVDs and exercise classes at the gym.
Recruit a friend as a workout buddy to try out that spinning, Pilates or yoga class
you've always wanted to try.
16. Be held accountable.
Having someone to answer to - whether it's a workout buddy you agree to meet
at the gym three times a week, or a personal trainer you make a daily
appointment with during the lunch hour - will help keep your fitness regimen on
track.
Tracey Whipple has lost more than 50 pounds and can now play with her kids.
She credits Havermann, her personal trainer of more than a year, with helping
her reach her fitness goals this past year. One was getting below 200 pounds
and being more fit.
As a result, she now weighs 163 pounds. She dropped the weight by working on
losing the weight in increments, Whipple said. She's now fit enough to play
soccer, football and swim with her two children.
"He (Havermann) makes me very accountable and that's what keeps me
motivated," said Whipple, 38, from Urbandale. "Without him, I would have quit a
long time ago."
Her husband helped by making sure he or a sitter could take care of the kids
while she worked out, Whipple said.
17. Treat yourself.
Rewarding yourself for reaching a fitness target is a great incentive to stay on
track - buy a new outfit, spend a day at the spa, try that new restaurant, or
splurge and go on a trip or buy that new plasma television.
18. Do it because you enjoy it.
The advice seems simple enough to follow. But really think about it: Do you truly
enjoy the physical activities you're involved in? Or does your fitness regimen
really feel like a daily burden or chore?
If that's the case, it's likely you'll burn out quicker. It's time to find something that
you really love - it might be walks in your neighborhood every evening after work,
or an activity you've never tried before. Get out there and experiment!
19. Forgive yourself.
There are few of us who can perfectly stick to a diet or exercise regimen.
Experiencing setbacks and falling off the fitness wagon will probably happen.
Don't be too harsh on yourself for missing a day of exercise or indulging a little at
dinner. Resolve to work harder tomorrow to get yourself back on track.
Personal relationships, family
20. Practice being fully present.
Make an effort to really listen and focus on the people you're spending time with
each day.
"To be 100 percent focused on the person we're with is such a gift to that
person," said Susan Ackelson, clinical director and therapist at Des Moines
Pastoral Counseling Center.
21. Start a regular, family activity.
This doesn't have to take up a lot of time or cost you tons of money.
It's the simple things - from cooking Saturday breakfasts with the kids, having a
weekly game night, going on a walk or bike ride, or forming a family book club that can help enrich our relationships with loved ones.
22. Carve out time for those close to you.
Specifically make time for those who mean a great deal to you - be it a spouse or
significant other, or each of your children.
It can mean planning a regular "date night" as a couple, taking just one of your
kids to a baseball game or the zoo for some valuable one-on-one time, or
stopping into your mom's house once a week for a cup of coffee and a chat.
23. Express gratitude and appreciation.
It's a practice we should incorporate throughout our daily routines. It can be
telling a child how much you appreciated his or her willingness to set the table for
dinner.
It can mean expressing gratitude to a friend who stayed up all night and offered a
shoulder to cry on, or saying thanks to a co-worker who lends a sympathetic ear
when you vent about work.
"The more we can focus on thankfulness and gratitude in life in general, and to
express that to people we love, the better life goes for us and others," Ackelson
said.
24. Practice random acts of kindness at home.
You often hear about people doing generous things out in the community; why
not do more of it at home? Ackelson asked.
The littlest things can make a huge difference - like ironing that shirt for your dad
when he's running late, going out and starting up your sister's car on a frigid
morning, or getting dinner started instead of waiting for your parents to do it.
25. Get to know your family better.
Be more engaged with other family members by taking an interest in their
hobbies and personal histories.
Sit and watch an episode of your brother's favorite cartoon with him, chat with
your grandmother about what her childhood was like and how different it is from
your own.
Ask your dad to tell you more about why he likes fly- fishing so much. You'll learn
more about your relatives, and you just might find common ground or a new
hobby for yourself, too.
26. Give people the benefit of the doubt.
Most of the time, people unintentionally hurt us, Ackelson said. Sometimes,
individuals may be anxious or distracted when saying or doing something to you.
That's when we sometimes take things personally, she said. So think before you
quickly react and try to hurt that person back.
27. Trace your family tree.
How much do you really know about your roots? You can start with conducting
interviews with relatives, especially taking advantage of opportunities to talk to
more elder family members.
Dig even deeper into your personal history with help from the Iowa Genealogical
Society, located in downtown Des Moines' East Village. Learn more at
www.iowagenealogy.org or call (515) 276-0287.
28. Write a loved one a note or letter.
Handwritten cards or notes are personal, and show people you really care.
Take the time to jot a note with "I love you" to a significant other and leave it on
the bathroom mirror or stash it with his or her lunch.
Write a short card to a child saying how proud you are of a recent
accomplishment of theirs, or just to say how much he or she means to you.
29. Be a couple.
In the hustle and bustle of jobs, kids and keeping the household afloat, paying
attention to each other's needs is often pushed to the bottom of the priority list.
But as with any relationship, you have to work at keeping it alive and flourishing.
So make time every day for each other - go on a short evening walk, take a
romantic weekend getaway together, or give each other quick back rubs before
bed while talking about each person's day.
30. Bury the ax.
Long-held grudges and animosity will take a lot out of you. Sometimes, we even
forget the exact reason why we stopped talking to a sibling or former college
buddy.
Resolve to make up with at least one person this year, and clear the negativity
out of that one part of your life for good.
31. Practice mindfulness.
This means being aware of what you're thinking at the moment you're thinking it,
Ackelson said. Doing so can help us break cyclical patterns that can be
damaging our relationships with others.
"Then we have such a better ability to make a choice of what we do or say," she
said. "We are not aware of what we're thinking and feeling most of the time."
32. Plan regular family get- togethers.
With everyone's hectic schedules, it can be tough to round up all the uncles,
aunts, cousins and grandparents. Keeping family bonds strong can be hard when
everyone is busy.
Plan at least several get-togethers a year - a day at the beach, a barbecue, or an
evening at the bowling alley - as a way to stay connected.
Time management
33. Stick to your agenda.
How many times have you let a phone call or request from a colleague sidetrack
you while on a way to a meeting?
That's just one example of how not to be proactive in planning your daily
activities, said Yvonne Gentzler, an associate professor of family and consumer
sciences education at Iowa State University. "It's constantly thinking about what
needs to be done and not being distracted by impulse, or even moods," Gentzler
said.
34. Make a personal deadline for yourself.
A person can conceivably whittle away a whole day on one project, and not even
get to the essential tasks for that day. This can be an easy trap to fall into,
especially for perfectionists, Gentzler said.
One thing she did this year to manage her time better was to establish a personal
"end time" on all of her projects, well in advance of the actual deadline.
"It has worked for me this year," she said. "What I've found is that my old way of
operating was I would sit until I got a project done, and I would stay so focused
on it because that's what I figured the goal was. Everything else would come to a
halt."
To avoid burnout and stay on schedule, she follows the guideline of spending an
hour-and-a-half on one task, getting up for a short break, and sitting down to
tackle another project.
35. Managing phone calls and e-mail.
It's easy to get distracted by phone calls and those annoying e-mail alerts. Give
yourself a specific amount of time to answer phone calls or e-mails during a
certain time each day.
For example, if you know you work better early in the morning, you may want to
return phone calls in the afternoon, Gentzler suggests.
36. Don't always automatically say "yes."
Many of us impulsively agree to help out when someone asks us for a favor or
assistance with something. That's a recipe for spreading yourself way too thin.
A better way to do things is to tell people that you have to check your other
commitments and appointments, and then get back to them with your answer.
37. Start your day off a little earlier.
Coming to work 20 minutes earlier can give you a great jump start.
It's also nice to come in and enjoy the silence of the office before the hustle and
bustle of the day.
38. Schedule time for yourself.
Take 30 minutes a day to do the things you need to do to stay ahead
professionally, like reading magazines, Gentzler said.
People think they don't have enough time to do this, she said, but it's a matter of
looking more closely at the time we waste on less important things.
39. Fit "small" tasks between bigger ones.
Have a short, 10-minute call you have to return before the end of the day? Need
to run a quick message to another department?
Do those things in the middle of completing your more strenuous tasks during the
day, Gentzler advised. Doing so can also give you a little mental break from your
projects.
40. Know what needs to get done and what can wait.
What tasks absolutely need to get done today, and which ones can wait until
tomorrow or next week? Schedule your time to finish those things that must get
done first, and don't be distracted by the other tasks until you've completed
things that are essential.
41. Reassess and re-evaluate groups you're involved in.
Ask yourself: Do you still find these activities interesting? Are you still needed in
the group? Have your hobbies changed? Is it time to join a group that better
reflects your current interests?
"It frees up time for you to be engaged in those things that you might find more
meaning in," Gentzler said.
Finances
42. Pay down debt with "opportunity money."
"If you receive a raise or year-end bonus, put it toward your highest debt," said
Ben Hildebrandt, a vice president with the Iowa Bankers Association.
It's a habit that Hildebrandt's family practices, he said, by learning to live on its
current salary.
43. Develop a financial plan and prioritize your goals.
Determine which goal takes precedence, Hildebrandt said. Establish short-, midand long-term goals. Pay yourself first, by putting away a reasonable amount of
money from each paycheck.
For example, Hildebrandt's family puts a certain amount of money into his
children's savings account, a joint savings account for Hildebrandt and his wife,
and a "dream account" for things they want. "Make it reasonable," he said.
"Depending on what your salary is, even if it's $10 per paycheck, it's something."
44. Truly use that credit card for emergencies only.
Many of us probably got that one credit card that we rationalized we would use
only in case of an emergency. But over the years, those "emergencies" have
included a sale on cashmere sweaters at Banana Republic and a night of
imbibing with the girls.
Resolve to pull out that credit card only in the event of "real" emergencies. If you
really want something, start a savings fund and buy it with cash.
45. Talk to a professional.
If you've carried your credit card debt for more than a year or are only paying
minimum payments, it's time to see a trusted professional, Hildebrandt said.
He suggests talking to a banker first, and listening to his or her suggestions,
before seeing a financial adviser.
46. Cash in online.
It's a twist on your traditional garage sale.
Have a lot of stuff that you don't have any use for? One option may be trying to
sell some of those old comic books, CDs, childhood toys or knickknacks on
eBay.
Remember that saying: One man's junk ... ?
47. Save, save, save for that trip.
Have a trip next year that you're already starting to plan for? Research hotel, car,
food and other costs, and try to establish a budget for how much you'll spend
every day.
As soon as possible, start putting away a portion of your paycheck into a trip
savings fund, with the goal to have the trip (mostly) paid for by the time you go.
That way, you'll have fond memories of your vacation, and not the headaches of
the debt it put you in.
48. Choose to carpool.
Save money on gas and parking fees by finding others to carpool with you. Better
yet, if work is in walking distance, head to the office on foot.
49. Reassess those 401(k) or IRA contributions.