Happy New Year!

If you’re like most of us, you’ll be using this special time of the year to reflect and renew. Many of us decide to break old, unhealthy habits. Others resolve to take better care of themselves, improve their diets, lose some weight, begin a regular exercise program or generally just get back on the path to Lifetime Wellness.

But, many people have already given up on their New Year’s resolutions…again. Why do so many people fail at making the positive changes they promise themselves?

What I’ve found is that, more often than not, there is no crystal clear goal or objective and/or the necessary skills may be missing and/or there is insufficient motivation to do what needs to be done and/or the resources needed to get the job done are missing or simply, there is no plan.

It’s common to make resolutions and it is equally common to forget them. Follow this simple 5-step formula to make this year different and change your resolutions into reality.

1. Be crystal clear about what you want to accomplish health-wise in 2011. Avoid overly broad and non-meaningful language, such as “eat healthier,” “lose weight,” “work out,” or “get in shape.” Instead use exact language like “only eat meat twice a week,” “lose 15 pounds in 2011,” or “reduce my resting heart rate to 60.”
2. What will you need to learn how to do to accomplish your new goals? Will you need to learn how to combine foods or exercise properly?
3. What would motivate you to not only get you started but also keep you in the game? Normally, the “right” motivation is in taking a “long” view. Is your health important because you want to fit into a bathing suit or to be able to play with your great-grandchildren?
4. What resources will you need to turn your resolutions into realities? How will you measure your progress? Who will keep you motivated and become your accountability partner?
5. Do you have a specific plan that you will follow that you are certain will help you get where you want to go?

Another exercise that will help you keep your commitment to consciously growing your health in 2011 is to identify what you could stop doing that is negatively impacting your health. Then, what could you do that would positively contribute to your health development? Put on your thinking caps and decide how you can best help yourself.

As a child, you went out to play after school. Do your children actually go out and play anymore? How much exercise do your children get? How much time do they have for exercise after computers, texting, cell phones, video games and TV?

And, what about you? How much exercise does the average office worker get after spending 8 hours every day tied to their office computer? How are your eating habits? Are you getting 6-8 hours of sleep each night?

All of these factors and more contribute to the fattening of Canadians resulting in an increasing range of illnesses all leading to a greater and greater reliance (addiction) to prescription drugs.

How can we reverse this growing health problem? If you are affected, and aren’t we all affected one way or another? How can we help ourselves and the people we love the most? What if we each took control and stopped taking it anymore? What if we actually and consciously exercised, ate properly, set good examples for our children, stopped eating fast food, received regular chiropractic care, drank plenty of water and had a home cooked meal every now and then?

Small, easy to accomplish and sustainable changes can often be your best bet when it comes to changing to a healthier lifestyle. Change one thing…make it part of your healthier lifestyle so that you no longer view it as a change (typically after 30 days) and then move on to another change. Become successful at making changes and you will benefit!

While this is, by no means, a complete list; it could represent a great place for you to start 2011 in as healthy a way as possible:

1. Exercise-create a regular exercise program that you can and will commit to doing…the operative word is regular.
2. Nutrition-become more knowledgeable about what you eat and more mindful as you eat it so you nourish your body rather than just fill your stomach.
3. Lose fat.
4. Drink plenty of pure water. Practice the art of self-relaxation.
5. Detoxify your system.
6. Make time for YOU.
7. Get regular chiropractic check-ups and adjustments to keep your nervous system working optimally.
8. Make any other lifestyle changes that you think will contribute to your health.

Dr. Michael Gibson has committed himself to helping others to live the best life possible. After graduating with a Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of Western Ontario, he received his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree and Masters of Science in Chiropractic Sports Science from Life University.   He is the co-creator of Life By Design, owner of The Wellness Group, and co-owner of CrossFit 613. His passion for empowering families runs deep. After experiencing the loss of his sister due to illness, Michael’s purpose became reaching and teaching as many as possible the foundational principles of an extraordinary life.  Since that time he has passionately pursued and been successful in living out his dream. He maintains a busy family chiropractic practice, a full speaking schedule and finds time to implement the principles and practices of Life By Design in his own life.