Resolve to keep it simple

By Lisa Marshall, Special to the Rocky

Published January 15, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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We're 15 days into 2008 and by now you've probably compiled a long list of hastily conceived resolutions - many of which you'll never get to.

Your intentions are good: You'll give up carbs, take up ballroom dancing, join a gym, spend more time with your family, stress out less at work, eat more vegetables, keep your desk cleaner, lose 10 pounds, try that new fad diet your friend told you about and maybe even pick up one of those miracle sit-up machines you saw on TV.

But the longer your list gets and the more complex your road map to self-improvement becomes, the more likely you are to sabotage yourself, say self-help gurus.

"The biggest mistake people make is thinking that everything has the same level of importance," says Boulder life coach Nancy Stubbs. "Get clear on what the most important pieces of your life are, whether it's work, family, health or something else, and always schedule your activities related to those areas first."

In short: Simplify.

In the spirit of simplification, we asked a dietitian, a personal trainer and two time-management experts for five straightforward, inexpensive things to focus on to improve your mental and physical health this year. No expensive fad diets or infomercial fitness contraptions allowed.

Here's what they said.

Fitness

David Diaz, certified personal trainer and owner of Fitness Together in Denver

Diaz says success in any training program hinges not on expensive equipment or fad workouts but on finding something you can realistically commit yourself to long term. "People always think it is a quick fix, that they can eat right or go to the gym for a few months, but then they revert back to their old ways." Instead:

1 Ask yourself: Why do I want to do this? Is it to attract the opposite sex, perform better at your favorite sport, please your spouse or keep up with your children? Identify the reasons upfront, write them down and call on them on the days when you need some extra motivation.

2 Do what you like. "The best exercise out there is the exercise you are willing to do," says Diaz. Whether it's kickboxing, running or ballroom dancing, if you enjoy it, you're more likely to stick with it, so make it a prominent piece of your fitness program.

3 Don't forget the strength training. In addition to doing cardiovascular exercise at least three times a week, be sure to do some sort of muscle-building and toning exercises two or three times a week as well. The more lean muscle mass you have, the greater your resting metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories even when you're sitting or sleeping.

4 Use what you have. "Realistically, all you need is a stocking cap and a good pair of shoes," says Diaz. "And there are a lot of exercises you can do with your own body weight." He also recommends buying an exercise ball (they run as little as $10), resistance bands or dumbbells, and an exercise DVD so you can work out at home.

5 Find an accountability buddy. On the days when you're too tired or busy or just don't feel like working out, your buddy will get you there - and vice versa.

Time management

Tips from Nancy Stubbs, life and relationship coach, and Kim Wolinski, aka Dr. DeClutter, Longmont-based professional organizer

1 Set your priorities. Choose three to five life areas to focus on this year, and let them drive your schedule. Meanwhile, learn to say "no" to things that don't further those goals.

2 Always plan ahead. "The No. 1 mistake I see people make in regard to time management is simply not having a plan," Wolinski says. Take 15 to 30 minutes at the beginning of every week to schedule your time for the next seven days, penciling in things that meet those life priorities first. Stubbs likens good time management to putting rocks in a bucket: Put the large rocks in first (the workout you vow not to miss, the important meeting that could advance your career, your third-grader's choir concert), and then, if space allows, add the pebbles (returning nonessential phone calls and e-mails, filing, etc.)

3 De-clutter. Your physical environment should reflect your life priorities, says Wolinski. If exercising more is a goal, put your workout equipment in a place where you'll actually use it. If more time with the kids is important, create a comfortable space for that. Meanwhile, get rid of the distracting heaps of things you don't use.

4 Live your life in completion. "When people say they are too busy, a lot of times they are talking about things they should be getting done that they are not getting done," says Stubbs. Unfinished projects hang over our heads and distract us from the task at hand. So make a list of every half-done job and start chipping away at it, even if you spend only an hour a week.

5 Find a completion buddy. Tell a friend what you hope to accomplish by the end of the day, week or month, and when you do it, let her know - and celebrate.

Diet

Tips from Lisa Lonzano, registered dietitian, Essential Nutrition Inc., Boulder

Lonzano says she consistently sees five basic areas where people struggle when trying to lose weight or improve their diet. Simply homing in on these can do wonders: "It's all about making small, incremental changes instead of doing things so differently that you are eating in a foreign way," she says.

1 Watch your portion size, especially at restaurants. Order a lunch portion at dinner, split an entree or ask for a to-go box with your meal and immediately put half the food in it to take home.

2 Quit snacking mindlessly. "People get bored or sit down in front of the TV with a bag of chips and they have no idea how many calories they are consuming," she says. Instead, choose a snack with a defined beginning and end - like a bowl of soup or an apple - or opt for snacks that require more chewing. "It's hard to stuff 10 carrots in your mouth at once."

3 Eat wisely on the run. Eating out is inevitable for many people, but eating poorly is not. If you're a fast-food junkie, start by changing your destination - hit the deli instead of the drive-through - once a week. Or, if you must hit the drive-through, bring your own apple or cherry tomatoes from home to add a healthful element.

4 Eat more fruits and vegetables. Buy what you like and put it in front of you. If you like to eat only pre-washed vegetables that are already chopped, buy them that way. If you don't have time to peel an orange, don't choose that fruit. Instead of having candy in the bowl on your desk, throw in some pre-washed grapes.

5 Be more aware of what you're eating. Keep a journal of everything you eat. Even if you do it for just a few days, it may open your eyes to how much you're really consuming. Instead of rushing to gobble down your meal, take a moment before that first bite to take a deep breath and think about just how hungry you really are and whether the portion in front of you reflects that. Then, slow down and enjoy it.

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