Selected Podcast
How to be More Active in the New Year and Stick to New Health Habits
Erin Duncan discusses how you can be more active in the New Year and she shares great tips for creating a healthy lifestyle and sticking to your resolutions in 2019.
Featuring:
Erin Duncan
Erin Duncan is the Wellness Coordinator, Human Resources at The Carle Foundation Hospital.
Transcription:
Melanie Cole (Host): Many people make New Year’s resolutions at this time of year, but keeping them is much more difficult. My guest today is Erin Duncan; she's the Wellness Coordinator in Human Resources at the Carle Foundation Hospital. Erin, let's just jump right in. What's your first piece of advice to get started on healthy habits and create your plan of action?
Erin Duncan (Guest): Right. Well as we know, a lot of people do make New Year’s resolutions, and 80% of those fail by February. So it is kind of difficult for people to stick with those. So a few things that could help is first, change your thinking. If you need to make some lifestyle changes and become more active, you're going to have more success if you change the way you think about certain things. Like don't compare yourself to others. Healthy bodies come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. So one person's choice of activity won't be right for you. And think positive. You can help yourself succeed by thinking that you can succeed. If you tell yourself negative things like, "I can't do this, why bother?" your change is going to be harder. But if you encourage yourself with thoughts like, "I can do this," you raise your odds of success.
And another thing is when it comes to improving your activity level, start small and adopt a new mantra that anything is better than nothing. And then changing your habits, making a change in the way you live your daily life is really difficult at times, but it can be done. Just remember why you want to meet your goals, and when things get hard, keep that as your motivation.
Host: So are you a fan of writing down your plan of action? And if so, how many things should you attempt to change at once?
Erin: Right, I definitely think that writing your goals makes them solidified in your mind, and you have a set thing to work towards. I would say work on one or two things at a time, and don't make them too difficult. Once you hit that first goal, check it off, and move on to the next one. Each little success is going to build upon each other, and it's going to help you in the long run to stick with your new activity.
Host: If you were to recommend three lifestyle changes that someone could make to become healthier, what would those be?
Erin: Right. I would say start small. You need to start with small goals and work your way up, and I would also suggest get social support. Find someone that is going to cheer you on, and if you slip up and miss a day, or if you slip up and you eat something unhealthy, they're going to say, "It's okay, you can do this. I've got your back."
And then find someone also that's going to keep you accountable, and maybe a friend that you meet at the gym, or you have a fitness class that you go to every week or so. Just find a way to be accountable and have someone that's going to support you along the way. That's really going to make a big difference.
Host: So when we're looking at actual changes, whether it's quitting smoking, or starting an exercise program, or trying to lose weight, or just trying to eat healthier; when you hear all of those things, what do you think is the most important? Do you think it's most important to start an exercise program or more important to try and look at your diet and eating healthier? Where do you prioritize the stuff?
Erin: I would say that whatever means the most to you. You need to find out your 'why,' and whatever goal is going to help you reach that. So if you are wanting to run a race, then obviously you want to do the exercise component. But if you're looking into doing some weight loss, you would want to check into your nutrition. If it's something such as weight loss or overall health that you're looking at, when you combine eating better and moving more, you do see up to a 20% greater weight loss than changing your eating habits, and that's according to Weight Watchers.
Host: If you're a busy healthcare professional, how can you make time to exercise? People say, "I don't have time," but experts say you have to make that time. How can healthcare professionals make that time?
Erin: Right. Lack of time is often cited as a barrier to physical activity, but honestly it doesn't have to be. Planning ahead is a great way to overcome this barrier. So I would suggest scheduling weekly workouts into your calendar to make sure it fits into your day. And then these workouts can also be broken up into smaller blocks to help you fit those into your busy day.
So you could spend one hour working out in the gym or on a run, or you could spend two thirty-minute sessions, and you can also even break those up further into fifteen-minute brisk walks or jogs. And you just make it easiest for you. A few tips would be have your workout clothes set up beside your bed in the morning, and so all you have to do is pop out of bed, put those on, and you're ready to go. Maybe put your gym bag in your car so you can work out before you come home in the evening. Just make it as easy for you to get it in as possible.
Host: What about setbacks, Erin? That seems to be a big problem for people, the motivation, and to keep going, how do you stay motivated? And what do you do if you have a setback?
Erin: I would suggest preparing for slipups, kind of look at your life and understand some of the barriers that you may have, and create a slipup plan. So if you do have a setback, then you know what steps you need to take to get back on track. Don't let a temporary lapse turn into a relapse. You might miss a day here or there with your eating or with your working out, but try not to miss two in a row, and don't beat yourself up about it. It happens, and it's normal, and you can get right back on track and reach those goals.
Host: Do we offer ourselves rewards for staying motivated, Erin? Are there some rewards you can think of? People say, "Oh, I'm going to get some ice cream because I did a great workout." But really, food as reward is not what they say we should be doing. What about rewards?
Erin: Rewards are a great way to keep yourself motivated. Definitely food as a reward, that's something that we often do now, and maybe we need to switch our mindset into something different. Some rewards that you could do can actually be a physical reward. Saying, "If I reach this goal, I get to purchase a new running outfit, or new shoes." And another reward too to think about is not just something like that, but what about a reward that you feel inside yourself? Such as you notice that you're sleeping better, you're less stressed. Those make a big difference too when you step back and look at the different benefits that you're also getting. But I think rewards are a great way to motivate, and they're also a great way to keep yourself accountable. So if you have a race that you want to run in a few weeks, and then that's your reward at the end, you know that you've got to push yourself for it.
Host: And you mentioned stress. What a big situation people have with stress, and not only healthcare providers, but pretty much everyone. What do you want us to know about exercise and eating healthy and how that can help reduce some of our stress, and what are some other things we can try to help reduce stress?
Erin: Right, exercise has many benefits just beyond weight loss. It does help reduce your stress, it helps you sleep better, it helps your mental clarity, and it actually gives you more energy during the day. So if you think about all the other benefits that exercise has, and eating well has for you, it's really important to try and make time for it. You're going to feel better, and you're going to be able to manage your day, which is absolutely a busy, busy day, I understand, and make that more manageable for yourself.
Host: Tell us about your team, Erin. Why is Carle so great to work with?
Erin: Carle is a wonderful organization to work for because we really care about all of our employees across the board. We have over 7,000 employees in our organization, and as my role as Wellness Coordinator, I'm here to help each and every person be the best employee that they can be. So I'm here to help them with their physical, mental, social, financial wellness, and I love that Carle puts effort, and that they put in resources for our employees like this. A lot of organizations, they don't, and we really want every employee to be as healthy and as well as they can be, because then they're able to give more to all of our patients.
Host: It's great information. Thank you so much, Erin, for coming on today, and telling us why it's so important to make your New Year health habits, and ways to stick with them. Thank you again. You're listening to Expert Insights with the Carle Foundation Hospital. For a listing of Carle providers, and to view Carle's sponsored educational activities, please visit www.CarleConnect.com. That's www.CarleConnect.com. We hope the information gained will be applicable to your work and life. This is Melanie Cole, thanks so much for tuning in.
Melanie Cole (Host): Many people make New Year’s resolutions at this time of year, but keeping them is much more difficult. My guest today is Erin Duncan; she's the Wellness Coordinator in Human Resources at the Carle Foundation Hospital. Erin, let's just jump right in. What's your first piece of advice to get started on healthy habits and create your plan of action?
Erin Duncan (Guest): Right. Well as we know, a lot of people do make New Year’s resolutions, and 80% of those fail by February. So it is kind of difficult for people to stick with those. So a few things that could help is first, change your thinking. If you need to make some lifestyle changes and become more active, you're going to have more success if you change the way you think about certain things. Like don't compare yourself to others. Healthy bodies come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. So one person's choice of activity won't be right for you. And think positive. You can help yourself succeed by thinking that you can succeed. If you tell yourself negative things like, "I can't do this, why bother?" your change is going to be harder. But if you encourage yourself with thoughts like, "I can do this," you raise your odds of success.
And another thing is when it comes to improving your activity level, start small and adopt a new mantra that anything is better than nothing. And then changing your habits, making a change in the way you live your daily life is really difficult at times, but it can be done. Just remember why you want to meet your goals, and when things get hard, keep that as your motivation.
Host: So are you a fan of writing down your plan of action? And if so, how many things should you attempt to change at once?
Erin: Right, I definitely think that writing your goals makes them solidified in your mind, and you have a set thing to work towards. I would say work on one or two things at a time, and don't make them too difficult. Once you hit that first goal, check it off, and move on to the next one. Each little success is going to build upon each other, and it's going to help you in the long run to stick with your new activity.
Host: If you were to recommend three lifestyle changes that someone could make to become healthier, what would those be?
Erin: Right. I would say start small. You need to start with small goals and work your way up, and I would also suggest get social support. Find someone that is going to cheer you on, and if you slip up and miss a day, or if you slip up and you eat something unhealthy, they're going to say, "It's okay, you can do this. I've got your back."
And then find someone also that's going to keep you accountable, and maybe a friend that you meet at the gym, or you have a fitness class that you go to every week or so. Just find a way to be accountable and have someone that's going to support you along the way. That's really going to make a big difference.
Host: So when we're looking at actual changes, whether it's quitting smoking, or starting an exercise program, or trying to lose weight, or just trying to eat healthier; when you hear all of those things, what do you think is the most important? Do you think it's most important to start an exercise program or more important to try and look at your diet and eating healthier? Where do you prioritize the stuff?
Erin: I would say that whatever means the most to you. You need to find out your 'why,' and whatever goal is going to help you reach that. So if you are wanting to run a race, then obviously you want to do the exercise component. But if you're looking into doing some weight loss, you would want to check into your nutrition. If it's something such as weight loss or overall health that you're looking at, when you combine eating better and moving more, you do see up to a 20% greater weight loss than changing your eating habits, and that's according to Weight Watchers.
Host: If you're a busy healthcare professional, how can you make time to exercise? People say, "I don't have time," but experts say you have to make that time. How can healthcare professionals make that time?
Erin: Right. Lack of time is often cited as a barrier to physical activity, but honestly it doesn't have to be. Planning ahead is a great way to overcome this barrier. So I would suggest scheduling weekly workouts into your calendar to make sure it fits into your day. And then these workouts can also be broken up into smaller blocks to help you fit those into your busy day.
So you could spend one hour working out in the gym or on a run, or you could spend two thirty-minute sessions, and you can also even break those up further into fifteen-minute brisk walks or jogs. And you just make it easiest for you. A few tips would be have your workout clothes set up beside your bed in the morning, and so all you have to do is pop out of bed, put those on, and you're ready to go. Maybe put your gym bag in your car so you can work out before you come home in the evening. Just make it as easy for you to get it in as possible.
Host: What about setbacks, Erin? That seems to be a big problem for people, the motivation, and to keep going, how do you stay motivated? And what do you do if you have a setback?
Erin: I would suggest preparing for slipups, kind of look at your life and understand some of the barriers that you may have, and create a slipup plan. So if you do have a setback, then you know what steps you need to take to get back on track. Don't let a temporary lapse turn into a relapse. You might miss a day here or there with your eating or with your working out, but try not to miss two in a row, and don't beat yourself up about it. It happens, and it's normal, and you can get right back on track and reach those goals.
Host: Do we offer ourselves rewards for staying motivated, Erin? Are there some rewards you can think of? People say, "Oh, I'm going to get some ice cream because I did a great workout." But really, food as reward is not what they say we should be doing. What about rewards?
Erin: Rewards are a great way to keep yourself motivated. Definitely food as a reward, that's something that we often do now, and maybe we need to switch our mindset into something different. Some rewards that you could do can actually be a physical reward. Saying, "If I reach this goal, I get to purchase a new running outfit, or new shoes." And another reward too to think about is not just something like that, but what about a reward that you feel inside yourself? Such as you notice that you're sleeping better, you're less stressed. Those make a big difference too when you step back and look at the different benefits that you're also getting. But I think rewards are a great way to motivate, and they're also a great way to keep yourself accountable. So if you have a race that you want to run in a few weeks, and then that's your reward at the end, you know that you've got to push yourself for it.
Host: And you mentioned stress. What a big situation people have with stress, and not only healthcare providers, but pretty much everyone. What do you want us to know about exercise and eating healthy and how that can help reduce some of our stress, and what are some other things we can try to help reduce stress?
Erin: Right, exercise has many benefits just beyond weight loss. It does help reduce your stress, it helps you sleep better, it helps your mental clarity, and it actually gives you more energy during the day. So if you think about all the other benefits that exercise has, and eating well has for you, it's really important to try and make time for it. You're going to feel better, and you're going to be able to manage your day, which is absolutely a busy, busy day, I understand, and make that more manageable for yourself.
Host: Tell us about your team, Erin. Why is Carle so great to work with?
Erin: Carle is a wonderful organization to work for because we really care about all of our employees across the board. We have over 7,000 employees in our organization, and as my role as Wellness Coordinator, I'm here to help each and every person be the best employee that they can be. So I'm here to help them with their physical, mental, social, financial wellness, and I love that Carle puts effort, and that they put in resources for our employees like this. A lot of organizations, they don't, and we really want every employee to be as healthy and as well as they can be, because then they're able to give more to all of our patients.
Host: It's great information. Thank you so much, Erin, for coming on today, and telling us why it's so important to make your New Year health habits, and ways to stick with them. Thank you again. You're listening to Expert Insights with the Carle Foundation Hospital. For a listing of Carle providers, and to view Carle's sponsored educational activities, please visit www.CarleConnect.com. That's www.CarleConnect.com. We hope the information gained will be applicable to your work and life. This is Melanie Cole, thanks so much for tuning in.