Experts say successful New Year’s resolutions mean working to create long-term, healthy habits instead of making short-term, drastic changes. (Pippalou/morguefile)
Losing weight is the number one New Year’s resolution, according to the Statistic Brain Research Institute. But it’s estimated only eight percent of those who make resolutions this time of year will succeed in achieving their goals. Dr. Katherine Brown, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association, says it’s important to take small, achievable steps to get healthy, instead of embarking on a big diet and facing the inevitable “yo-yo” effects of losing and regaining that weight. “One of the number one things relative to getting healthy in the New Year, is just remembering that consistency is the key,” says Brown. “And to develop an accountability partner, someone that you can check in with.” While weight loss is often the goal, Brown says getting heart-healthy should be the motivation. The American Heart Association says heart disease is the number one killer in Tennessee, and the state ranks seventh in the country for a high rate of cardiovascular disease. Brown says it’s important to establish healthy eating habits you can live with, and increase your amount of physical activity, all with the long-term in mind. “If you just say ‘weight loss,’ it means it’s lost and it can be found again,” says Brown. “Versus looking at making an absolute lifestyle change.” The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, but the American Heart Association says only 38 percent of Tennesseans achieve that goal.
