It’s New Year’s Eve…Yeah? A new year, a new you… okay? The end of 2015 is almost here so it means it’s time to make another New Year’s resolution. Or is it? While certainly courageous to commit to making a positive transformation as we enter 2016, are you really ready to take a chance on change? If you are keen on resolution, first figure out if you’re ready, willing, and truly able to set and meet new goals for yourself on January 1.
Identify the Goal. What is that you are looking to change? Weight loss? Exercise? A lower A1C level? These goals are rather broad. So if you have a goal like this, break it down into smaller parts that can make it easier to manage. If weight loss is your goal, commit first to logging the meals you normally eat in a day for two weeks’ time. You can easily do this in your Dario app. This will give you a basis for the amount of calories you normally consume and a better understanding of how many calories you need to cut in order to shed some pounds. If you want to lose a total of 25 pounds for example, break it down in to five pound increments and reward yourself after each 5 pounds lost with a little treat. Breaking it down and setting smaller goals along the way can also give you better more incentive to progress.
What is your motivation? What’s driving you to change? Understanding what is underneath your desire to change is key. Do you want to lose weight for your high school reunion or exercise more to run a faster 5K? Are you aiming to lower your A1C because your doctor told you to or because you want to stay healthy for family and loved ones? Knowing what pushes you to dedicate to making a change can give you great inspiration to the get across the finish line.
Activate and track your plan. Once you have identified your goal and your motivation it’s time to put it in action. And according to some, if you didn’t track it, it didn’t happen. This is where your Dario App can really come in handy. If your goal is to lower your A1C in the New Year, taking action to test your blood glucose more and entering your carbs and insulin doses can get you closer to your goal. It will help you understand where you need to adjust your plan to better manage your diabetes.
Recognize setbacks as teachable moments. There are 365 days in the year, so you can still take it one day at time. Don’t let one bad apple – or pie – spoil everything. People’s perfectionist perception of how they should act can sometimes turn defeatist when setbacks arise. Don’t give up on your goal. Learn from the setback and understand what caused it and how you can handle it in the future. Also it’s okay to indulge yourself from time to time with a savory meal or a lazy Sunday on the couch. Depriving yourself completely of things you enjoy can leave you feeling unmotivated to meeting your goal after a while.
No matter what your resolution is – or if you choose not to make one – Dario wishes you a very happy, healthy and successful 2016. Happy New Year!