PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Do you plan to make a New Year’s resolution? More than half of U.S. adults do, but many will break them even before the bubby goes flat.
“I believe they make vague goals,” said Bon Secours Registered Dietitian Barbara Mekkes.
Mekkes told WAVY if you want results that will last you need to have goals that are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Timed
“Basically, you need more numbers,” she said. “If you know that you need to drink more water, you say, ‘OK, I’m going to drink 64 ounces of water a day.”
If your goal is to move, give it a number — for instance, 30 minutes per day, or 6,000 steps.
Mekkes finds journaling and sharing your goals with others also helps. Write down what you plan to do, then check off the steps as you go.
Use visuals for motivation, maybe a picture of yourself when you were at your goal weight, or put pill bottles in plain sight if you’re trying to lower blood sugar.
Mekkes also suggests you take a look at your inner circle.