Resetting Good Health

You are determined to start a healthier chapter in your life, but the same obstacles always foil your plans. The key to success is a more thoughtful approach to self-change. Decades of research by a University of Scranton professor revealed that individuals who make New Year's resolutions are 10 times more likely to succeed than those who have the same goals but make no resolutions. Use these resolutions to jumpstart your new healthy wishlist.

Exercise

• The goal: Complete a half-marathon this year.
• The roadblock: You ran on the treadmill at the gym for at least 30 minutes, four nights a week, for two weeks before you fell out of the habit.
• The reset: You need structure, stimulation and a more easily attainable goal. Set your sights on completing a 5K race instead of a half-marathon, follow a training plan on an app, and run with a friend or running club to add fun and accountability.

Diet

• The goal: Give up fast food.
• The roadblock: Two weeks after you resolved to eat healthier, you were back to several fast-food meals a week.
• The reset: Pare your drive-thru fare down by one meal a week until you're at zero. Fill the void by using Sunday night to prepare one or two large, healthy dishes you can reheat and eat throughout the week.

Weight Loss

• The goal: Lose weight.
• The roadblock: You shed three pounds right out of the gate, but that success disappeared as your commitments to exercise and healthy eating tapered off.
• The reset: Moving forward, resolve to shed two to three pounds per month until you reach your weight-loss target. Reasonable goals you can measure are essential to successfully achieving any resolution. Share your monthly plan with your spouse, children or best friend, so you'll feel responsible to others to succeed, as well as to yourself. Lifestyle modifications are better when made together and can keep you accountable.

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