by Sara Schewe

Created on: December 09, 2008   Last Updated: December 15, 2008

2009 is fast approaching, and with it a flurry of New Year's Resolutions. For many people, this often means a gym membership, dieting, and a renewed commitment to weight loss. Most find it difficult to stick with these resolutions long term. This year, instead of setting yourself up for failure, why not set yourself up for success?

There are a couple of steps you can take to ensure a successful resolution. Most important is to make the resolution one that is both tangible as well as enjoyable. Instead of an abstract resolution such as "I want to eat healthier," make a resolution of "I will have a fruit or vegetable with every meal" or "I will replace snacks of potato chips or cookies with a small handful of nuts."

Another way to keep a resolution is to step outside the box. Aim to try a new food of some kind every month. This keeps your resolution fun and interesting but also encourages you to eat a wider variety of foods. Or perhaps aim to cook a very nice meal once every week or two. Again, it's doable, it's healthier because you know exactly what ingredients are going into your meal, and it's more affordable than a restaurant meal. If you have kids, make a deal with them that they will handle the cleanup for this dinner, to make it even more special.

Instead of signing up for a gym membership this year, invest $15 in a pedometer. Start by simply recording how many steps you take every day to get a feel for how active you are currently. Then, aim to increase your activity in smaller increments. For example, instead of surfing the net during your lunch hour, take a ten or fifteen minute walk. Take a break during the day and take another ten minute walk. These small changes will add up to increased steps without a complete life overhaul.

Set a goal that is positive, instead of a goal that involves self-punishment. Rather than setting a goal of working out six days a week, set up rewards for yourself by reaching certain milestones. For example, when you reach your first 50,000 or 100,000 steps, schedule a massage or go to the theater to see a movie. This is a positive goal that you will feel good about when you achieve it, instead of feeling bad about yourself when you didn't work out the full six days per week that you had planned. In addition, there's the added incentive to increase your activity to get the reward sooner.

By making slight changes to how you define your New Year's Resolutions, you'll set yourself up to stick to your resolutions and have a lot of fun in the process.

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