Most people who smoke, eat too many sweets and snacks, or avoid exercise realize that their behaviors will lead to health problems down the road. Unfortunately, knowledge doesn’t automatically translate into action. Meg Sibal (Filipino Reporter: New York, N.Y. January 7, 2011) wrote a terrific article outlining studies done in this area by The Mayo Clinic. The studies resulted in a series of suggestions for making long-lasting healthy changes.
Emily Delzell (Arthritis Today: March/April 2011) also reminds us that getting too little exercise, not eating properly and drinking too many cocktails are risk factors for many diseases. Studies indicate that people who indulge in these behaviors are more likely to die of heart disease or cancer than those who do not. The strategies outlined in her article are goal related. For example: quit smoking, do two or more hours of moderate exercise each week, have three plus servings of fruits and vegetables a day and limit alcohol consumption. However, isolating the problem is only a small portion of equation. Making it happen takes considerably more effort.
Setting goals are the key to changing behavior. Studies reviewed and published in the Mayo Clinic Women’s Healthsource relate that goals need to be SMART (specific, measurable, relevant and time-limited) in order to succeed. Think of these SMART goals as you:
Assess your readiness. Hopefully by the time you have reached senior vintage you are aware that it is now or never. It takes commitment and both mental and physical effort to change behaviors developed over a lifetime. Obviously you must first perceive a need for change. For example: your doctor telling you that you will die soon if you don’t get your act together. Longevity or a threat to your independent status is often the opening gambit.
Start with small steps: Trying to fix everything at once is a bit overwhelming, so start with a small step. Start with a walk around the block before setting your sights on a marathon. You don’t have to be a vegetarian but you can add a few veggies to your pasta sauce or to your plate of scrambled eggs.
Set realistic goals (look at SMART and follow suit). For example: The goal to exercise more isn’t specific enough. You need to say I will walk 2000 steps today and add a few more each week until I reach the recommended 10,000. A series of short-term goals can help you move on to long-term goals later.
Believe you can do it. Feel confident. In order to change you must feel that your health and your behavior are things that you can control.
Keep track of your behavior: Self-monitoring is important (observe and record your behavior).
Solve problems: Identify and define problems. A support group can help you with this. You are not alone.
Get a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep interferes with your ability to focus, learn and remember.
Manage stress: Stress can undermine your efforts more than anything else.
Bounce back from lapses. Old habits diet hard and an occasional lapse is normal. Having a setback does not meal that you are a failure.
A little effort can help you turn things around. Small changes to a lifestyle can improve your chances of living independently for a considerably longer period of time.
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