FEBRUARY 1998
A: Many of us make New Year's resolutions with the best intentions, and end up making the same resolutions the following year. But you can take steps to make your resolutions become reality.
First, set reasonable goals; unrealistic resolutions set the stage for failure. Then tackle one goal at a time. Ex-pecting too much of yourself can worsen the stress of making lifestyle changes, making it more likely that you'll abandon your efforts to achieve your goals.
In addition, accomplishing one goal will help motivate you to achieve others, and sometimes may make it easier to realize others. For example, main-taining a regular exercise program also can help you lose weight or quit smoking.
Set a reasonable amount of time to achieve your goal. Habits take many months or years to develop, so don't expect to change them overnight. To remain motivated, share your goal with others; the more people you tell, the more you'll feel obligated to achieve it. If possible, join a support group, or tell someone about your goal and ask them to periodically check on your progress toward reaching it. And finally, stop procrastinating and "just do it." If it's worth doing, it's worth doing now.
(John C. Racy, M.D., professor, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson)
Q: I'm determined to lose 20 pounds this year but I'm having trouble deciding on what kind of diet to follow.
A: With so many diet and weight studies providing confusing, or even conflicting, data, it can be difficult to determine what information to follow when you're trying to lose weight.
One study suggests alcohol may counter the effects of high-fat meals; others advise against any alcohol use. Another study suggests that "yo-yo dieting" (frequent weight gain and loss) may not be as harmful as previously thought. Others seem to differ over whether food restriction or increased activity is more important in weight loss or maintenance.
The variables in these studies are enormous. Unless the study participants are put in a hospital room, with everything accounted for -- such as exactly what they ate, activity levels and personal stress -- you won't get a truly accurate portrayal of the diet's effects. Nutrition is both a science and an art. People want an easy solution, but there is no perfect answer. Too many variables, especially genetics, play into the effects of food consumption on a person.
More important than restricting food intake when trying to lose weight is increasing activity, eating fewer high-fat and more low-fat foods, and being in control, being aware of what you are consuming.
Most food product labels now list the percentage of fat, but choosing the right foods doesn't mean limiting yourself to those with less than 30 percent of their calories from fat. That figure should be an average of what you eat during the day, week or year. A slice of pizza can be part of a good diet plan if you balance it with a low-fat food.
(Debbie Pesicka, registered dietitian, University Medical Center, Tucson)
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