5 ideas for healthy New Year’s resolutions

A counter-intuitive parenting strategy [View this email online]( [NPR Health]( January 1, 2023 by Andrea Muraskin Happy 2023! Throughout the year, we do our best to bring you actionable, evidence-based strategies for cultivating a healthy body and mind. We’ve collected some of our favorites for this special New Year’s resolution edition of the newsletter. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed or not in the mood for setting goals, consider resolving [to take time to do nothing](. (Seriously, this is NPR giving you permission to do nothing. It’s for your own good 😉). --------------------------------------------------------------- [Set healthy boundaries and stick to them]( We Are/Getty Images In a nod to Shonda Rhimes’ 2016 bestseller Year of Yes, podcast host and Broadway producer [Zach Stafford]( is declaring 2023 his “year of maybe.” “It is exhausting to say yes to every single thing,” Stafford opined on his podcast [Vibe Check](. “I want to be intentional about everything I do, whether it’s a work project or just getting drinks with someone.” Many of us could benefit from setting boundaries around how we spend our time and energy, but we often worry about how other people might feel if we say no. Therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab wrote [Set Boundaries, Find Peace]( – also a bestseller – to help navigate this tricky territory. She offered NPR readers some tips, such as: - Look for signs in your life, such as a surge in anxiety, that indicate you might need to set a boundary - If a friend wants to connect and you’re not in the right headspace, explain that and call them back later. - Say no to requests that you don't actually have the time or energy to fulfill Maybe 2023 is the year you [start teaching others how to treat you](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [Skip the fad diet and forge your own path]( [Food journalist Barry Estabrook talks with diet gurus and sifts through dieting history and the latest nutrition studies. He discovers that unfortunately, these diets don't really work in the long term for most people because they are too strict or require unnatural patterns of eating.]( Michele Abercrombie/NPR There’s no more classic New Year's resolution in American culture than going on a diet. And every year, there are an abundance of memberships, apps, and cookbooks and smoothies designed to help us lose weight or get healthier. But do these things work? After his doctor “read him the riot act” over his high blood pressure and cholesterol, investigative food journalist Barry Estabrook dove head first into the diet world. He poured over nutrition studies, interviewed weight-loss gurus, and dug into the history of American dieting. He tried a dozen diets over three years, and ended up sticking to none of them. However, he eventually was able to lose weight without gaining it back -- after he turned the lens on his own particular habits and preferences. Estabrook documented his food journey in a book called [Just Eat: One Reporter's Quest for a Weight-Loss Regimen That Works](. And he shared some nuggets of wisdom with NPR readers, such as: - “Lead” a diet instead of following one. Look at how you eat normally and identify a few areas you could adjust. (Estabrook took in a lot of calories through drinking alcohol.) You don’t have to give up your favorite things, but try placing limits on them. - Be realistic about your lifestyle. Do you have the time to chop lots of vegetables, or bake bread from scratch? Try changes that don’t require a massive overhaul. - Be mindful of what you habitually chow down on throughout the day. Estabrook realized he was eating three or four bags of calorie-dense potato chips a week, just because they came with his sandwich. Learn more about [Estabrook’s misadventures, and the ways most diets fail us](. [Plus: Learn how intuitive eating can help you make peace with food]( [Get your kids to listen better by letting them take the lead for 5 minutes a day]( [Life Kit visuals editor Becky Harlan engages her 2-year-old son, August Grabowsky, in "special time." It's a kind of child-directed playtime that children's health professionals say can be helpful in treating disruptive conduct in kids.]( Meredith Rizzo/NPR One night while we were all at my parents’ house for the holidays, my sister and brother-in-law left our parents and me to babysit my three-year-old nephew. We played with a set of toy construction workers – my nephew calls them “instruction men.” To clear things up, my mom explained that instruction meant something different: “Instructions tell you what to do," she told him. "Even you come with instructions!” Indeed, my sister had left a detailed list for how to handle bath time, potty time, and bedtime procedures. Parenting a young child is naturally instruction-heavy. But carving out little islands of instruction-free time during the week can enhance your relationship with your kid, and even make them more likely to take direction the rest of the time, according to pediatric psychologist Roger Harrison. The concept is called “special time,” and it’s super simple. The basics go like this: 1. Set aside five minutes or more to do an activity of your child’s choosing. It should be something without rules or structure, like drawing or playing make-believe. 2. Engage with your kid throughout the activity. 3. Hold off on instructing them or asking questions during this time. Research has shown that this kind of playtime can be helpful in treating disruptive conduct in children. [Here’s a handy guide to getting started with special time](. [Get outside, get active and find your squad]( [Vibe Tribe Adventures is one of many groups nationwide seeking to address barriers that often keep Black women from exploring outdoor activities.]( Kevin Mohatt for KHN Two tough realities about adulthood: it gets harder to make new friends, and – unless your job involves a lot of movement – to find time for exercise. I’ve certainly been in need of both at various times, and I’ve been on a handful of day trips with hiking groups. But the truth is, there are many more opportunities I pass up. I worry: Will the pace be too fast? Is everyone going to be in better shape than me? Will there be anyone my age in the group? Will someone mansplain carabiners to me, again? For Black Americans interested in spending time in the great outdoors, those concerns can extend to “will there be anyone else who looks like me on the trail?” or “am I going to have to deal with racism while I’m trying to enjoy nature?” Jessica Newton founded Black Girls Hike in Colorado to share the benefits of stress relief and camaraderie with other Black women. Now called Vibe Tribe Adventures, the group also offers a youth program and adventure sports training. [Here’s how her group and others like are helping people of color “fit in” out-of-doors](. Plus here are few other ways to find social connection while getting active: - [Join a group and train for a race](. Maybe this is your year to try a half or full marathon, but even training for a 5k has cardiovascular benefits, and you might make some new friends along the way. - [Join a sports league]( – you’ll get your cardio in and a mental health boost. [If you get on the pickleball bandwagon]( there are even training camps you can go to with your teammates.' - Feeling like a homebody? [Here's 7 tips to get back on your home workout game.]( Fortunately, in many cases, virtual group workout classes have stuck around from the early days of COVID. [Start a podcast habit]( Many of the stories we feature in this newsletter originate with [Life Kit]( NPR’s podcast based around the belief that everyone needs a little help being human. Life Kit’s episodes run the gamut, from how to use spices to punch up a meat-free meal, to how host a successful theme party, to how to talk to someone who is considering suicide. They’re all based on interviews with experts, and about 15 to 20 minutes long. For 2023, the Life Kit team put together [a New Years resolution planner]( with 40+ tips and ideas. [Listen to Life Kit and subscribe on the NPR One App]( or wherever podcasts are found. [Also: Peruse these fifteen binge-worthy podcasts from across the NPR Network]( Got a resolution you’d like to share? Tag us on Twitter @NPRHealth, or reply to this email with the subject “Resolution 2023.” We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of [NPR's health journalism]( on Shots and follow us on Twitter at [@NPRHealth](. To your health! Andrea Muraskin and your Shots editors --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [shots@npr.org](mailto:shots@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! [They can sign up here.]( Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! 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