{"id":17526,"date":"2023-02-01T10:57:06","date_gmt":"2023-02-01T15:57:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/alumni\/?p=17526"},"modified":"2023-02-02T11:27:57","modified_gmt":"2023-02-02T16:27:57","slug":"blog-keeping-your-healthy-resolutions-with-joan-salge-blake-sar84-wheelock16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/alumni\/2023\/02\/01\/blog-keeping-your-healthy-resolutions-with-joan-salge-blake-sar84-wheelock16\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping your healthy resolutions with Joan Salge Blake (SAR’84, Wheelock’16)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Posted January 2023<\/em><\/p>\n

January brings an opportunity to turn over a new leaf and make resolutions for the new year. Maybe you\u2019ve committed to reading more, starting a new hobby, or finishing a project. For many, the new year is a reason to set personal health goals too! But while New Year\u2019s resolutions are a great way to jump into healthy habits, research shows that nearly 80% of resolutions are abandoned by February<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"Joan Salge Blake (SAR’84, Wheelock’16)<\/strong> is a Clinical Associate Professor of Nutrition, a registered dietitian, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, the author of Nutrition & You, and the host of the Spot On!<\/a> podcast. She has been a BU professor for over 25 years and is a two-time recipient of the Whitney R. Powers Excellence in Teaching Award. She is an expert on healthy eating, weight management, and obesity and has made it a personal goal to make nutrition easy to understand for everyone. We spoke to Joan to ask her to stick to our health-related goals for 2023.<\/p>\n

Joan told us that the best way to stick to your goals was to buddy up\u2014whether with a friend, a partner, a roommate, or a coworker. In fact, she notes that people who had shared weight loss goals with their partners had three times the chance of success than those who tried to lose weight by themselves. Joan offered six tips for using a buddy system to stick with your health goals.<\/p>\n

1. Be a partner, not a competitor<\/h3>\n

Making healthy habits a competition is a great way to make sure your goals fall flat. Everyone\u2019s bodies are different and can react differently to the same meal plans or exercises. By creating a supportive partnership, you\u2019ll be able to avoid feelings of frustration and discouragement that can quickly end a New Year\u2019s resolution. <\/p>\n

2. Combine Your Shopping Lists<\/h3>\n

If you and your partner live in the same household, consider planning your grocery list together. Combining your lists could help you save money in the long run, and helps keep both partners accountable for maintaining their health goals. Plus, cooking together is a great bonding experience!<\/p>\n

3. Eat together<\/h3>\n

Sharing meals\u2014even just a few times a week\u2014is a great way to regroup, stay accountable, celebrate successes, and discuss any hurdles you\u2019ve been experiencing. Between work, errands, and day-to-day life, it\u2019s easy for good habits to fall by the wayside. Using meals to regroup with someone who shares your health goals is a great way to make sure you\u2019re both staying on track.<\/p>\n

4. Share your personal goals<\/h3>\n

Communication is key to making any relationship work. It\u2019s the same for losing weight or sticking to a resolution together. Make sure you and your partner are on the same page about your goals and expectations. Maybe you want to eat healthier to achieve some health goals, like lowering your blood pressure, while they want to fit back into those smaller-size pants tucked in the back of the closet.<\/p>\n

If you know each other\u2019s goals, you\u2019ll be able to understand how each of you is measuring success. Reducing your blood pressure a few points or dropping an inch or two around the waist might be better measures of progress than the numbers on the bathroom scale. <\/p>\n

5. Buddy up for workouts<\/h3>\n

It can be more fun to work out with a friend, especially one who shares your health or weight loss goals. You\u2019ll be more likely to pass the time, push yourself, and possibly even have a more enjoyable experience if there\u2019s a social aspect to your workout. Try tossing a medicine ball, using resistance bands, walking, jogging, or trying a new exercise class together.<\/p>\n

6. Provide motivation and inspiration <\/h3>\n

Remember, you\u2019re there to provide motivation, not policing. Don\u2019t criticize your weight loss partner for the occasional slip-up. Be their inspiration!<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Looking for more health and nutrition tips? Check out the Spot On!<\/a> podcast with Joan Salge Blake on Apple Podcasts. <\/p>\n