Robert H. Bean, Ph.D.




Nancy Knopp, MHS, RD, LD, CDE
Psychologist





Dietitian
Health Behavior Coordinator



MOVE! Coordinator




Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center
Making “SMART” New Year’s Resolutions
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1. They are Made in Haste

Instead of taking an hour or so to reflect, some people
pause maybe half a second before announcing, "I'm
going to run the Boston marathon!"
What's the Problem with Resolutions? Why Do So
Many of Them Fail?
What's the Problem with Resolutions? Why Do So
Many of Them Fail?
2. They Are Too Ambitious
• Be realistic.
• The New Year looks like a
blank slate, but realize that
you're the same person
you were last year (which
was just a few
minutes/hours ago).
• Think about what's realistic
for you and plan
accordingly.
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What's the Problem with Resolutions? Why Do So
Many of Them Fail?
3. They Are Made Half-Heartedly
• Many of us make resolutions
of one kind or another
because somebody asks us,
"So, what's your resolution?"
• Make a resolution when you
want to, not when you're
'supposed' to.
• Make a resolution after
deliberation, in moderation,
and with full resolve.
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What Type of Resolution Are You Making?
• Among the top new years resolutions are:
1. Weight loss
2. Exercise
3. Smoking cessation
4. Debt reduction

• After six months, only about half of resolution-
makers are still on track to meet their goals.

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What Type of Resolution Are You Making?
• Sometimes, our list of New Year's resolutions looks like a
list of chores, things you "should" do, but do not
particularly want to do.
• Consider a resolution that inspires you. Something you
just want to do.. doing things that make life joyous and
meaningful will promote your health and wellbeing.

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What is the Key to Success with Resolutions?
• People who kept their resolutions tended
to have:
1. Broken their goal into smaller
steps
2. Rewarded themselves when they
achieved one of these
3. Told their friends about their
goals
4. Focused on the benefits of
success
5. Kept a diary of their progress.

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What is the Key to Success with Resolutions?
• People who planned a series of smaller goals
had an average success rate of 35%, while those
who followed all five of the above strategies had
a 50% chance of success, the study found.
• The most successful techniques involve making
a plan and helping yourself stick to it.

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Choose a Specific, Realistic Goal
• Every year, millions of adults resolve to "lose weight" or
"get in shape" during the next year.
•
Instead of selecting such an ambiguous goal, focus on
something more concrete that you can realistically set
your sights on.
• Choosing a concrete, achievable goal also gives you the
opportunity to plan exactly how you are going to achieve
your goal over the course of the year.

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10
Pick Just One Resolution
• While you may have a long list of potential
New Year's Resolutions, Richard Wiseman,
a professor of psychology at Hertfordshire
University, suggests that you should pick
just one and focus your energies on it,
rather than spreading yourself too thin
among a number of different objectives.

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Don't Wait Until The Last Minute
• Planning is an essential part of
achieving any goal.
• Experts suggest that you should spend
some time planning out how you will
tackle a major behavior change.
• You can start by writing down your goal,
making a list of things you might do to
achieve that goal, and also noting any
obstacles that might stand in your way.

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Start With Small Steps
• Focus on taking tiny steps that will
ultimately help you reach your
larger goal.
• While it may seem like a slow start,
these small changes make it easier
to stick to your new habits and
increase the likelihood of long-
term success.

13
Avoid Repeating Past Failures
•
If you choose to reach for the same goals you've tried for
in the past, spend some time evaluating your past
results.
• Which strategies were the most effective? Which were
the least effective? What has prevented you from
keeping your resolution in past years?
• By changing your approach, you will be more likely to
see real results this year.

14
Identify and Address Barriers

• What might get in the way?
• What might help you to
overcome that roadblock?
• List several solutions or ideas
to overcome the obstacle.

15
Enhance Confidence Using a Problem-solving
Approach
• How confident are you that you can
reach the goal you set?" (Using a 0 –
10 scale with 0 not at all confident and
10 extremely confident)
• What makes you that confident?
• What would help you to be more
confident?
•
Who else might help you?

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Remember That Change Is a Process
• Those unhealthy habits that you are trying to
change probably took years to develop, so how can
you expect to change them in just a matter or days,
weeks or months?
•
It may take longer than you would like to achieve
your goals, but remember that this is not a race to
the finish.
• Once you have made the commitment to changing a
behavior, it is something that you will continue to
work on for the rest of your life.

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Don't Let Small Stumbles Bring You Down
• Encountering a setback is one of the most common
reasons why people give up on their New Year's
Resolutions. If you suddenly relapse into a bad
habit, don't view it as a failure.
• Try keeping a resolution journal, write down
important information about when the lapse
occurred and what might have triggered it. By
understanding the challenges you face, you will be
better prepared to deal with them in the future.

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Get Support from Your Friends and Family
• Yes, you've probably heard this advice a
million times, but that is because the
buddy system actually works. Having a
solid support system can help you stay
motivated. Explain what your goals are to
your close friends or family and ask them
to help you achieve your objectives.
• Enlist the help of others by joining a group
that shares your goal.

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Use “SMART” GOALS
• Specific

• Measurable

• Action-Oriented/Achievable

• Realistic/Rewarding

• Time-based/Trackable

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Examples of SMART Goals for Physical Activity

•
I will walk briskly for at least 15 minutes every
day this week.
•
I will take the stairs up the 3 flights to my office
at least once each day that I am at work this
week.
•
I will do 20 minutes of lower extremity
strengthening exercises 3 times this week
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Examples of SMART Goals for “Eat Wisely”
•
I will add a green salad to my dinner meal two nights
per week (or at lunch every day) for the next two
weeks.
•
I will include 2½ cups of a variety of fresh, canned,
or frozen vegetables in my diet three times a week
for the next two weeks.
•
I will include 2 cups of a variety of fresh, canned or
frozen fruit in my diet twice a week for the next
month.
• Next week, I will not add any additional salt at the
table when eating at home or in a restaurant.



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Examples of SMART Goals for “Be
Involved in Your Health Care”
•
I will write down my questions about my blood
pressure medicine before I go to my next clinic
appointment next week, and keep it in my wallet so
I don’t forget to take it along to the VA.
• This week I will find out from my health care team
how to sign up for My HealtheVet.
•
I will make a list of all my medications, what they are
for, and when to take them over the weekend. I will
take it with me to my next appointment.

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Examples of SMART Goals for “Be Tobacco Free”
•
I will call my doctor for nicotine patches and
see if I can get the script filled today. My quit
date will be the first of the month.
•
I will gather all my lighters and ashtrays and
throw them out, since this time I am quitting
for good.
•
I will tell my wife and my friends that I am
quitting this weekend, so they can help me
instead of offering me cigarettes.

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Examples of SMART Goals for “Limit Alcohol”
•
I am going to set myself a 2-drink limit for each day,
starting today. Just 2, 12 ounce bottles of beer at the
most.
•
I’ll let my buddies know that I’d appreciate their support
by not pushing me more after my 2 beers are done.
• After I drink my 2 beers, I will switch to non-alcohol beer.

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Examples of SMART Goals for “Strive For a Health
Weight”
•
I will start using the Food Diary that I found on the
MOVE! website and write down everything I eat, starting
tomorrow.
•
I will cut down on calories by switching to flavored water
instead of soda, starting with this week’s grocery
shopping.
•
I will increase my exercise time to 30 minutes of walking
the dog every evening, at least 5 times a week, starting
tonight.

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Examples of SMART Goals for “Get Recommended
Screenings & Immunizations”
•
I will follow-up on the colonoscopy recommendation and
schedule it by the end of the week.
•
I will get the flu shot at my next visit when they are
available in the clinic.

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Examples of SMART Goals for “Manage Stress”
•
I have a music CD that always calms me
down. I will listen to it at least once a day,
either right after work or before bed, starting
today.
•
I will sign up today for that yoga class my wife
has been raving about this week.
•
I will take a walk when I get frustrated at
work, at least around the building and around
the neighborhood at lunchtime. My goal is to
walk at least 4 times a week.

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Examples of SMART Goals for “Be Safe”
•
I will stop talking on the cell phone while
driving, starting when I leave this building
today.
•
I will actually wear the helmet I bought for
downhill skiing, starting with our trip this
weekend.
•
I will buckle my seat belt while the car is still
in park, instead of waiting until I am driving,
starting today.

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“Whatever you choose to work on is OK. It’s YOUR choice.”

• Reflect on Your interests and
values

• What is important to YOU?
What do YOU want to
accomplish or see realized in
the next year?
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Robert H. Bean, Ph.D.









Nancy Knopp, MHS, RD, LD, CDE
Psychologist










Registered Dietician
Health Behavior Coordinator








MOVE! Coordinator






Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center
Thank You!!
Credits
•
Kendra Cherry (2011), “How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions - 10 Great Tips for
Keeping Your Resolutions This Year”, Found Online at About.com Psychology Web
Site (http://psychology.about.com/od/psychologytopics/tp/keep-your-new-years-
resolutions.htm)
• Miller, E.T. & Marlatt, G.A. (1998). How to Keep Up with Those New Year’s
Resolutions: Researchers Find Commitment Is the Secret of Success. (As cited by John
Grohol of PsychCentral.com)
• Mukhopadhyay, A. & Johar, G.V. (2005). Where There Is a Will, Is There a Way? Effects
of Lay Theories of Self-Control on Setting and Keeping Resolutions. Journal of
Consumer Research, 31, 779-786.
•
American Psychological Association. (2009). "Making your New Year’s resolution
stick." Found online at http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/resolution.aspx
•
The Guardian. Found online at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/dec/29/psychology.uknews


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