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The holidays are a particularly challenging time for people with dietary restrictions. Whether they are with family, friends or coworkers, festive gatherings around food can be stress-inducing for those who have limitations to what they can eat. We can all play a role of arming ourselves with information about dietary restrictions in order to be supportive and caring.

Dietary restrictions go beyond typical concerns for healthy eating or even weight loss and affect those where the restriction is more by necessity, not choice. Common dietary restrictions include food allergies and intolerances, vegetarian and vegan diets, and medical concerns that require special diets. Even if you dont have a dietary restriction, you likely have a friend or family member who is affected.

Here are some of the most common dietary concerns.

Food Allergies

About 32 million Americans have food allergies and although over 170 foods have been reported to cause allergic reaction, there are eight allergens that are most common. These top allergens include peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, soy and wheat. Severity of allergic reactions can vary from headaches, rash, diarrhea and vomiting to more severe reactions like swelling of the airway and anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. The only treatment for food allergies is complete avoidance of the allergen.

Food Intolerance

Different from a food allergy, food intolerance is a digestive system response rather than an immune system response to a food. It occurs when a person is unable to properly digest or break down food. For example, intolerance to lactose, which is a sugar in milk and other dairy products, is the most common food intolerance. Food intolerance affects the digestive tract and may include nausea, stomach pain, gas, cramps, diarrhea and bloating.

Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity

People who have Celiac disease are unable to eat any foods that contain gluten. Common gluten-containing foods include wheat, barley, rye and bulgur and foods that contain ingredients derived from these grains. While those who are sensitive to gluten, but do not have Celiac disease may be able to tolerate small amounts of gluten, individuals with Celiac disease have to strictly limit even the possibility of cross-contamination of their food with gluten.

Vegetarian and Vegan Diets

While vegetarians avoid meat, chicken and usually seafood, some vegetarians consume eggs or dairy products. However, vegans do not consume any animal products. For those who avoid meat and other animal products, it is often a long-term lifestyle choice informed by beliefs around animal rights, environmental concerns, health concerns or religious and spiritual beliefs.

While vegans and vegetarians can plan meals at home that are nutritionally balanced, containing all the nutrients that they need, social gatherings that do not take into account the needs of vegetarians can be harder to navigate. People who do not eat meat benefit from having a plant-based protein option, typically made from beans, tofu, nuts and seeds along with other vegetables.

Low-Sodium Diets

While the typical American diet includes about 3,400 mg of sodium daily, most people should be taking in closer to 2,300 mg of sodium daily. People on a low-sodium diet should further reduce their salt intake to about 1,500 mg per day. Low-sodium diets are prescribed to those with high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease and heart problems among other health issues.

These are some steps you can take during the holidays to help support your loved ones with dietary restrictions:

1. Ask guests ahead of time if they have any dietary restrictions so you understand how you may accommodate their unique needs.

2. At buffet-style meals, label foods that contain allergens, animal products or gluten.

3. Dont downplay the seriousness of another persons dietary restriction.

4. Read food labels and ingredient lists to be aware of foods contents.

If you have dietary restrictions, here are some steps you can take to make holiday meals less challenging:

1. Communicate clearly to hosts about your dietary restrictions. Most people are more than willing to accommodate your needs if they are informed.

2. Offer to prepare and bring some items to share that are safe for you to consume.

3. Take the initiative to choose a restaurant or venue that is able to accommodate people with dietary restrictions.

4. Plan non-food activities like volunteering, fun outdoor sports or crafting that bring people together during the holidays without a focus of food.

LeeAnn Weintraub, a registered dietitian, providesnutritioncounseling and consulting to individuals, families and businesses. She can be reached by email atRD@halfacup.com.

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How to navigate the holidays if you have dietary restrictions or food allergies - The Mercury News

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Diet is strongly linked to longevity. Leading health experts state that people who ate 20 percent more healthy foods over the course of 12 years, decreased their risk of early death by up to 17 percent. A certain diet incorporates foods commonly eaten by people in Nordic countries with several studies showing that eating this way may cause weight loss and improve health markers.

The Nordic diet is a way of eating that focuses on locally sourced foods in the Nordic countries including Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

The Nordic diet was created in 2004 by a group of nutritionists, scientists and chefs.

Compared to an average Western diet, the Nordic diet contains less sugar and fat but twice the fibre and seafood.

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What to eat on the Nordic diet?

The Nordic diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, however, the biggest difference is that it emphasises canola oil instead of extra virgin olive oil.

The diet emphasises traditional, sustainable and locally sourced foods with a heavy focus on those considered healthy.

The main principles of the diet includes eating often with foods such as fruits, berries, vegetables, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, rye bread and sea foods. Eat in moderation, rarely eat red meat and animal fat and dont eat sugar-sweetened beverages, added sugars, processed meats, food additives and refined fast foods.

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How to live longer: Best diet to increase life expectancy - foods to eat and avoid - Express

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Restricted diets are more likely to feel lonely when they can't share in what others are eating, researchers have found.

A recent study reveals that people with restricted diets are more likely to feel lonely

Holiday celebrations often revolve around eating, but people with restricted diets are more likely to feel lonely when they can't share in what others are eating, researchers have found.

Across seven studies and controlled experiments, the findings, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that food restrictions predicted loneliness among both children and adults.

"Despite being physically present with others, having a food restriction leaves people feeling left out because they are not able to take part in bonding over the meal," said study lead author Kaitlin Woolley," Assistant Professor at Cornell University in the US.

For example, in one experiment, assigning unrestricted individuals to experience a food restriction increased reported feelings of loneliness. That suggests such feelings are not driven by non-food issues or limited to picky eaters.

"We can strip that away and show that assigning someone to a restriction or not can have implications for their feeling of inclusion in the group meal," she said.

According to the researchers, further evidence came from a survey of observers of the Jewish holiday of Passover.

When reminded during the holiday of the leavened foods they couldn't enjoy with others, participants' loneliness increased.

Further evidence came from a survey of observers of the Jewish holiday of Passover. When reminded during the holiday of the leavened foods they couldn't enjoy with others, participants' loneliness increased.

Yet, within their own similarly restricted group, they felt a stronger bond. But when restricted from sharing in the meal, people suffer "food worries," said the researcher.

They fret about what they can eat and how others might judge them for not fitting in.

Those worries generated a degree of loneliness comparable to that reported by unmarried or low-income adults, and stronger than that experienced by school children who were not native English speakers, according to the research.

Compared with non-restricted individuals, having a restriction increased reported loneliness by 19 per cent. People felt lonelier regardless of how severe their restriction was, or whether their restriction was imposed or voluntary.

To date, Woolley said, children have been the primary focus of research on the effects of food restrictions.

A nationally representative survey she analysed from the Centers for Disease Control did not track the issue among adults.

But increasingly, Woolley said, food restrictions are being carried into adulthood, or adults are choosing restricted diets such as gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan for health or ethical reasons.

"Up to 30 per cent of all participants in the research deal with restrictions, Woolley said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Amla health benefits: Indian gooseberry or amla is loaded with vitamin C and many other essential nutrients. You can fight many health issues just by adding amla to your diet. Here are some health benefits of amla that you must know.

Amla health benefits: You can fight skin issues by adding amla to your diet

Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry is loaded with health benefits. Ayurveda suggests the use of amla because of the multiple health benefits and medicinal properties that the fruit offers. Amla is in season in winter and can be included in your daily diet. Amla is a versatile fruit and can be included in your diet in multiple ways. You can consume it in the form of amla juice, amla candy and amla murabba. Read below to know amazing health benefits of amla.

Amla is a power-packed source of vitamin c. Vitamin chelps you boost immunity. During the winter season, you are more likely to catch cold, cough or fever. Adding amla to your diet will support a strong immune system and help you keep these health issues at bay.

Amla can boost immunity which can help you fight cold, cough and feverPhoto Credit: iStock

Amla can be a part of your diabetes diet. It can help in controlling blood sugar levels naturally. Many studies have also highlighted the use of amla for controlling diabetes. With other precautions and a healthy diet, you can manage healthy blood sugar levels with amla.

Also read:Amazing Health Benefits Of Amla You Must Know; Learn Different Methods To Use Amla

Poor cholesterol levels should not be ignored. Bad cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart diseases and affect your health in various ways. You must follow a healthy and lifestyle to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Amla can help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Also read:High Cholesterol: Health Issues Linked With High Cholesterol And Ways To Control It

Amla is good for your skin and hair. Amla is loaded with vitamin cand other properties which can boost skin health and also promote hair health. You can prepare face packs or hair masks with amla powder. Adding amla to your diet will also benefit your hair and skin.

Amla can help you achieve healthy and glowing skinPhoto Credit: iStock

Alma can also help in weight loss as it can boost metabolism. It also boosts digestion. Amla is rich in fiber which helps in flushing toxins from the system effectively keeps the gut healthy. Amla juice is quite popular for weight loss. Around two tablespoons of amla juice can be added to your diet for weight loss.

Also read:Weight Loss: This Juice Should Be A Part Of Weight Loss Diet; Here's Is The Right Method To Consume

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.

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A vegan diet is generally healthy, low in cholesterol and protective of heart disease, but its followers must take vitamin B12 supplements or risk a condition that causes permanent numbness in their hands and feet, experts say.

Most people get their vitamin B12 from milk, but the plant-based substitutes do not have high enough levels to protect adults and children from peripheral neuropathy, which is irreversible.

Young festival-goers on a vegan diet may be at particular risk. Kids these days inhale laughing gas, said Tom Sanders, professor emeritus of nutrition and dietetics at Kings College London. That can actively cause vitamin D deficiency. There is a danger of young people going vegan, not having B12 and it could tip the balance to them getting a serious neuropathy.

It could easily be remedied by the manufacturers of plant-based milks, he said. Levels should be higher in plant milks than they are at the moment. If they were three times higher, there wouldnt be a problem.

Internet claims that vegans do not need extra B12 were not evidence-based, he said. Im concerned that many people think it is a myth, said Sanders. Gorillas eat a vegan diet, but B12 is produced in the colon and they probably dont wash their hands, he said, so end up ingesting it. The Jains in India eat a vegan diet, but, he said, all the Jain doctors I know have B12 injections.

Studies have shown that B12 levels in vegans are about a third of what is needed. Other aspects of the vegan diet are healthy but, said Sanders, B12 is the one thing we are concerned about. There is particular worry about children. In one case, a baby who was breastfed by a mother who was B12 deficient ended up with neuropathy.

Sanders and Tim Key, professor of epidemiology and deputy director of the Cancer Epidemiology unit at Oxford University, have both researched the health of those who eat a vegan diet for many years. Key is himself a vegan and takes vitamin B12 tablets regularly.

Key said there was limited data available. The Epic study based at Oxford follows about 2,000 people. Together with a study in California, there is data on about 10,000 people in total. Its not enough. We dont have precise estimates of long term health in vegans, said Key.

But what they have been able to observe so far is that people eating vegan diets tend not to be overweight if anything, some are very thin and may have problems in older age when weight loss becomes an issue. They have low rates of type 2 diabetes and diverticular disease of the colon. They have low cholesterol and low rates of heart disease and they may have lower cancer rates.

However, bone fractures are about 30 per cent higher as a result of lower bone density. That might have something to do with calcium and possibly even B12, said Key. They may also have higher rates of hemorrhagic stroke.

A vegan diet that is high in fruit and vegetables and pulses is likely to be healthy, but vegans can still overdo the biscuits, confectionery, cakes, chips and beer, said the scientists, and some meat substitutes, such as vegan sausages, are high in salt.

So far, there is no evidence that vegans live longer. There is no significant difference in total mortality between vegans and meat eaters, said Key. Guardian

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Vegan diet carries risk of permanent numbness in hands and feet - The Irish Times

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Dont look now, but we are once again on the threshold of a new decade. Before we bid adieu to the 2010s, it seems fitting to take a minute to reflect on the ways in whichrunning has evolved over the past ten years.

And it has evolved, believe it or not. Minimalist running shoes used to be popular. So was the Nike Oregon Project. Professional runners used to have (even) fewer opportunities to make money from their sport thanthey do today. Heres a recap of how the running landscape has changed since 2010.

At the 2009 IAAF World Championships, 18-year-old South African Caster Semenya burst onto the athletics scene by winning the womens 800-meters. Her time of 1:55.45 was the fastest in the world that year. However, during the same championships, rumors emerged that Semenya had undergone a gender verification test which revealed that she had atypically high levels of testosterone. The International Association of Athletics Federations (which recently changed its name to World Athletics) sought to address the issue by introducing maximum testosterone levels for female athletes in 2011. These regulations were effectively challenged by Indian sprinter Dutee Chand in 2015, only to be re-introduced by the IAAF in 2018 with the caveat that the rules now only applied to specific middle distance events. This time, it was Semenya who took the IAAF to court on the grounds that placing a limit on female T-levels was tantamount to discrimination. Earlier this year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport decreed that, while indeed discriminatory, the IAAFs rules were also necessary to preserve the integrity of female athletics.

Over the past decade, the debates surrounding the IAAFs controversial testosterone rules garnered attention far beyond the insular world of pro track and field. While the IAAF claimed that it was merely trying to ensure fair conditions for competition, others saw something far more pernicious: a powerful institution trying to police gender using shoddy science.

In 2009, Christopher McDougall published Born to Run, a rollicking account of the distance running feats of a tribe living in Mexicos Copper Canyons known as the Tarahumara. The book was a massive bestseller, not least because of its provocative thesis that the plush cushioning of modern running shoes might be making us more susceptible to injury. After all, the Tarahumara ran thousands of miles wearing only thin leather sandals. Enter the minimalist shoe craze and the attendant rise of Vibram FiveFingers, a product which convinced millions of individuals to pay for the experience of running barefoot. Unfortunately, many of these people still got injured and Vibram was hit with a multi-million dollar class-action lawsuit in 2012 for false advertising. So much for that.

As the decade draws to a close, the pendulum appears to have swung back the other way. The company Hoka One One, which was founded in 2009 and is known for its oversized, maximalist footwear, has risen from relative obscurity to become a major player in the running shoe market; according to Stravas 2019 Year in Sport Report, Hokas Carbon X modelwas the fastest growing shoe over the past 12 months. Meanwhile, in the wake of its official release in 2017, the prodigiously cushioned Nike Vaporfly has dominated the elite/racing end of the running shoe market, thanks to its apparent performance benefits. In a very short period of time, Vaporfly wearers have shattered pretty much every major road racing world record, inspiring debates on whether the shoe should even be legal. There have been serious proposals to limit shoe stack height.

Speaking of the Vaporfly, the shoe played a starring role in 2017s Breaking2 event, a Nike-funded spectacle which sought to prove that, under optimized conditions, it was possible for a human to run 26.2 miles in under two hours. In his first attempt in Monza, Italy, Kenyas Eliud Kipchoge came up 26 seconds short. Two years and several iterations of the Vaporfly later, Kipchoge would run 1:59:40 in Vienna, Austria, thus proving, to quote his favorite catchphrase, that no human is limited. (The verdict is still out on that one, though there is some consensus among experts that, when seeking to test the boundaries of whats possible, it helps to be the best in the history of the world at whatever you are trying to do.)

Instagram was officially launched in October of 2010. Over the ten years that followed, the photo-sharing social network evolved into potential source of income for celebrities and thousands of enterprising, would-be influencers. Suddenly, it became important to maintain a robust personal brand. Even professional runners were not immune.

If you dont believe that [having a social media presence] is part of the job of being a professional runner today then you dont get it, Ben Rosario, coach of the Northern Arizona Elite, told the New York Times last year. Other elite clubs, like Boulder-based Tinman Elite and the Nike-sponsored Bowerman Track Club appear to have adopted similar philosophies, as have individual athletes. The BTCs Gwen Jorgensen and recently retired 800-meter specialist Nick Symmonds each have their own YouTube channels. Four-time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah, whose competitive success might, at first glance, have made him seem less in need of playing the social game, is prolific on Instagram.

In an email, Symmonds wrote that social has become the way for runners to maximize their full earning potential, not least because a runners online presence doesnt have to end when they retire. A social following does not have a shelf life, unlike our running abilities!, Symmonds notes. A loyal social following can continue to provide income long after one's pro running days are behind them.

When it was established in 2001 by former champion marathoner Alberto Salazar, the goal of the Nike Oregon Project was to improve the sorry state of American distance running. It took just over a decade, but the team would eventually deliver on that promise. Salazars protg Galen Rupp would win an Olympic silver medal in the 10,000-meters in 2012 and an Olympic bronze in the marathon in 2016. Rupp would go on to win the 2017 Chicago Marathon, in the same race that Jordan Hasay, another Salazar-coached athlete, ran 2:20:57the second fastest marathon by an American woman. The 2016 Olympics would also see the Oregon Projects Matthew Centrowitz become the first American man to win the 1,500-meters since 1908.

If 2016 marked the high point of the Oregon Project, the final months of 2019 have been less auspicious for Salazars once vaunted team. In September, the United States Anti-Doping Agency hit Salazar with a four-year ban for various doping-related infractions, including the illegal trafficking of testosterone and tampering with the doping control process. Not long afterwards, the Oregon Project was officially disbanded. Just as it seemed like Salazars reputation was at its nadir, last month former Oregon Project runners Mary Cain and Amy Yoder Begley accused him of verbal abuse and publicly shaming them for their weight. Earlier this month, the reopening of the Alberto Salazar Building at the Nike HQ inspired hundreds of employees to march in protest.

Salazars reckoning came in the wake of other recent public relations fiascos for Nike which suggested that the company might not always live up to its progressive image. Last year, the New York Times published an expos in which several former female employees spoke of endemic sexism and gender discrimination at the world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. In June, the Times published an op-ed by former Nike runner Alysia Montano, calling out the hypocrisy of a brand whose feminist advertising is belied by the fact that it often suspends athletes contracts when they get pregnant.

In August, Nike allegedly changed its policy so that when an athlete becomes pregnant, she cant be subjected to performance-related reductions in pay for a consecutive period of 18 months, starting eight months prior to the due date. Whether this isa one-off act of damage control, or a sign that the worlds most powerful sporting apparel company is about to evolve into a paragon for humanistic capitalism remains to be seen.

With any luck, well know before 2030.

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The Running Stories that Defined the Decade - Outside

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As the holiday season kicks into overdrive and your calendar becomes packed with back-to-back holiday parties, you feel more and more tempted to stuff yourself silly with cookies, eggnog, meat pies and other holiday treats that are laid out in front of you on the table.

Unsurprisingly, all that binging on high-calorie foods contributes to the inevitable holiday weight gainwhich, according to science, can take up to six months to lose.

But before you throw away that mini quiche in your hand, know that going cold turkey isn't the right solution.

Instead, follow these six fitness trainer-approved strategies to enjoy the holidays without packing on the pounds:

And lastly, don't beat yourself up if you ate one extra cookie or skipped a gym session. Don't dwell on your mistakes, focus on moving forward instead.

Happy Holidays!

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'How Not to Diet' author Dr. Michael Greger discusses the approach people should take to effectively lose weight.

The year 2020 is just days away and people are getting ready to commit to their New Years resolutions.

Online learning company GoSkills revealed that the top two most popular New Years resolutions include exercising more and losing weight, but only 46 percentof people with resolutions were successful. So what makes the pursuit so difficult?

Dr. Michael Greger, author of How Not to Diet, told FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo that losing weight just wont happen with poor eating.

You cant outrun a bad diet, he said. In a few minutes, you can wipe out a whole hour of exercise.

Greger said this is why theres more power in controlling caloric intake than outtake.

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In How Not to Diet, Greger discusses exactly how to form a diet that delivers optimal results, based on researching thousands of other dietary flops.

I just wanted there to finally be an evidence-based diet book, he said. I [dug] up every possible tip, trick andtechnique proven to accelerate the loss of body fat, to give people every possible advantage and basically build the optimal weight loss solution from the ground up.

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The criteria for Gregers plan include a commitment to permanent dietary change but itmay be the safest and cheapest approach, he said.

Permanent weight loss requires permanent dietary change

The optimal weight loss diet should be anti-inflammatory, clean, free from hormone-disrupting chemicals, filled with fiber-rich foods to trap calories and flush them out of the body, he said. Bottom line, we should eat real foods that grow out of the ground. A diet centered around whole plant foods.

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Greger said the healthiest food options include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

Modeling studies suggest that if half of Americans ate a single more serving of fruits and vegetables a day, it would prevent 20,000 cases of cancer every year, he said. That's how powerful produce is."

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One of Stan Lee's legacies with Marvel Comics was making characters relatable.

The Fantastic Four were a family and fought like one. Spider-Man had money troubles. The Hulk had anger management issues. Thor needed to hold on to his hammer or turn back into a human doctor with an injured leg.

OK, so superheroes don't always have the same problems as you and me.

Take weight loss. It's always one of the most popular New Year's resolutions, but very few heroes, or villains, really need to do it. Many of them wear costumes so form-fitting they wouldn't have anywhere else to store a few extra pounds.

The, ah, huskier comic book characters out there usually have a reason for it. For the Blob, it's his mutant power. And that time he lost it, well, he still had a lot of skin, so it didn't really work out for him. The Kingpin uses his size to intimidate people (even if you don't buy that "it's really all muscle" line he peddles).

And Bouncing Boy probably wouldn't bounce so well without a little additional junk in his 30th century trunk.

In other words, the following list of New Year's resolutions for comic book characters won't include losing weight or staying in shape. And that's one less introductory mechanism I'll have to choose from next year.

* Mister Miracle - Make sure my contract for the "New Gods" movie has a foolproof escape clause.

* Gambit - Get gambling legalized on Krakoa.

* Wonder Woman - Read George Orwell's "1984."

* Conan - Buy all the trades Marvel releases of my newest appearances before they lose my rights again.

* Flash - Take up the salmon ladder. With "Arrow" done, someone has to make sure the CW remains the AB-solute best.

* Black Widow - Gross more than the new Bond movie.

* Doctor Manhattan - Pull strings on Marvel continuity next. Maybe I could start some sort of war? Only it's a secret?

* Thor - Have Rocket program my Fitbit.

* Rick Grimes - Figure out how all these other comic book characters come back from the dead.

* Ikaris - Ask the Guardians of the Galaxy how to deal with being relevant after years of obscurity.

* Superman - May as well try contacts now.

* Kingpin - Congratulate Scorsese and Coppola for taking those so-called superheroes down a peg.

* Wally West - Quit framing people for deaths I cause.

* Venom - Floss regularly.

* Harley Quinn - Stalk Jaquin Phoenix.

* Beta Ray Bill - Quit horsing around.

* Green Lantern - Convince other Corps members to join me in taking the Lip Synch Challenge and do Beyonce's "Single Ladies."

* Thanos - Get another glove.

* Batman - Find out if Jarvis is happy with the Avengers or maybe looking for a change in careers. And universes.

Evan Bevins is the writer of the webcomic "Support Group."

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Weight loss for superheroes in 2020? Fat chance - GrafWV.com Entertainment, the arts, alternative news for W.Va. - Graffiti

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Humans have a long history of making New Years resolutions. The Babylonians are believed to be among the first to have set them more than 4,000 years ago. When Julius Caesar was emperor circa 46 B.C., the Romans had their own practice of offering sacrifices to Janus, the god of beginnings and endings, as they looked forward to each new year.

You would think that after so many years, people would have mastered the art of following through on their resolutions. However, a formal study in 2007 found as many as 88% of people fail to fulfill their resolutions. So, its a new year but the same you.

Most people make resolutions to improve their health, either by losing weight, quitting smoking or exercising more. Others aim to save money. The challenge with fulfilling resolutions is that they require starting new habits, said Wendy Wood, the Provost Professor of Psychology and Business at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the USC Marshall School of Business.

We keep making these resolutions, despite realizing that most wont actually succeed, she said.

We keep making these resolutions, despite realizing that most wont actually succeed.

Wendy Wood

Habits have a lot to do with this failure. Physical and financial health require repeated behavior more than just eating salads for a week or sticking to a budget for a month, added Wood, whose new book, Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick, provides insight into the psychology of habits.

Many people misunderstand the challenge of forming a new habit, she said. They may think starting something new is just a matter of willpower, or that one decision can change everything.

Forming a new habit isnt rational like this. Neither is changing old habits. Old habits fade only slowly, she said. So, as your motivation wanes resolutions are hard, not fun your old habit is still there.

We dont understand how our habits work. In fact, we are not supposed to understand them. Habits are part of our unconscious mind, she added.

Woods point is that we must improve our chances of success by making it easier to adopt a new habit. We are more likely to make these new habits an unconscious part of our routines if we, for instance, prepare a gym bag the night before a morning workout or make several meals to last through the week to deter ourselves from reaching regularly for junk food.

Wood and other USC researchers have found additional steps you can take to increase your chances of accomplishing your resolutions.

Quitting smoking is one of the top resolutions people make to improve their health. If you are a smoker, the company you keep can affect your temptation for smoking, said Steven Sussman, professor of preventive medicine and psychology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Hanging out with non-users as much as possible, drinking lots of water every day for a couple of weeks, doing some exercise and actually trying to learn relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation may help, he said.

The bottom line is action, he added, like getting rid of all evidence of nicotine products from the house and keeping busy doing other things.

Fitness centers anticipate a spike in memberships this time of year as many Americans resolve to lose weight, but often the spike is temporary. It usually tapers by the end of February, as people return to their old habits and inactivity.

Lorraine Turcotte, a professor of biological sciences and expert on metabolism at USC Dornsife, said people can raise their likelihood of successful weight loss just by setting realistic expectations. The less specific you are about how much weight you aim to lose, the more likely you will reach your weight loss goal, she said.

It might be easier to maintain a positive attitude if your goal is to lose 5 to 10 pounds, as opposed to having a specific goal of 10 pounds, she said. Choose an activity that you like. Maintenance of an exercise program is linked to enjoyment of the activity. So, if you like dancing, take a dance class. Try to include friends and family in your activities, which will improve your chances of maintaining an exercise routine.

Many of us are masters of procrastination, which especially becomes a problem when saving money for retirement.

Daphna Oyserman, a Deans Professor of Psychology and Education at USC Dornsife and the USC Rossier School of Education, has found that people can motivate themselves by making their goals seem more immediate.

Instead of imagining yourself as a healthy, happy retiree in 30 or 40 years, ask yourself what actions you can take today to be healthier, this week to be happier and this month to save more, she advised.

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