In three months, we plan to drop 20 pounds, be following a set two-hour daily workout regimin, land the job of our dreams and the hottest BF in town.
In other words, completely set ourselves up for an ultimate self-loathing letdown.
New Year’s Resolutions can be a bitch or your best friend. Depends on how you tackle it. We’re gonna be realistic this year when choosing what nasty habit to kick. Wanna join?
Stick to simple and slow. Think baby steps. If you want to quit caffeine, don’t go cold turkey. You know those Nicorette commercials with the steps? Yeah–do that. Here’s our handy dandy easy-does-it step-by-step guide to quitting practically anything (except injectable substances. For that, get real help, K? K.)
For cigarettes, coffee, soda, ice cream, etc. We’ll call it the Substance.
Week one: Figure out how much Substance you inhale/ingest per day. Write it down in a journal you’ll carry with you everywhere. Now, each day, tally how much Substance you use, no matter what. You can also journal when you crave. You might figure out that a certain emotion, like stress, triggers a craving. You’ll do this until freedom. For the first week, work on cutting back by 20%. Like, you smoke 5 cigarettes per day, go for four.
Week two: Keep tallying. Cut back 40% from the original amount. (From six diet sodas to roughly 3 1/2) Start a new hobby. Used to play piano? Pick it back up. Start cooking dinner. Paint your room. Shop for prom dresses. Any sort of escape that’s not the Substance. Devote half an hour to your new hobby every day.
Week three: Keep tallying. Look back at your journal. Notice improvements? Note patterns. Like, do you tend to give in on weekends or during the school day? Cut back to 50% from the original intake. (Four cups of coffee to two). IMPORTANT: at this point, it’s vital to give yourself your “drug” at vital times during the day or night. Figure out when you want it the most, and save it for then. Also, develop a buddy system. Tell someone what you’re up to and keep them updated on your status. When you decide to inhale/ingest your Substance, give your buddy a call.
Week four: Tally! Journal! Hobby! Call buddy! Cut down to 75% of original intake. (Four bowls of ice cream in a week to one.) This might be your hardest week. If you slip, don’t worry. Think of it as a learning experience. Assess what was going on. Did you have boyfriend problems? A super hard test? Fight with your mom? What were you feeling? Introduce alternate stress and anger-reducers into your habits, like punching pillows, scribbling with markers until they run out. Write letters you won’t send. Keep at it.
Week five: 90%. Now’s the time to think about how much you really want to eliminate. If it’s soda or candy–don’t get rid of these foods completely. In moderation, they won’t hurt you. Save a soda for a special occasion-like a date. If you’ve come this far with cigarettes, keep going. No one wants cancer. Gross.
We’re ready. Are you?
Shop on!
Look for it at your local mega bookstore!
Beautifully blanched Cate Blanchett. (Ooh! We SO wanna see her play Blanche in Street Car! Excuse to splurge on Broadway tickets? We think so.)
A slew of waxen popstars–Gwen, Courtney and Madonna.
Take THAT (insert whack), stupid Seasonal Depression. This year, when the winter winds bluster in, we’re determined to stay happy. A few tips to keep a skip in your step and the chill outta your bones.
Ditch the gym. That’s right. Stay OFF the treadmill. No more pounding a rubber conveyor belt until boredom busts your butt. It’s time to snaz up your workout with something new, something out of the ordinary, something to make his jaw drop and turn your workout into a weekly social event.
What’s a busy girl to do when she needs an energy boost? Some tips on quick fix snacks to toss in your purse and keep you on top of your shopping game.