New Year resolutions

It's time again for New Years resolutions. What are you going to do differently this year to meet your goals? Here are some tips for setting and keeping your resolutions.

• Make your goals realistic. Is a 20 pound weight loss in 3 months realistic for you? Maybe, but are you making lifestyle changes to make it permanent? Make your goals reachable and you are more likely to keep them. After you reach the initial goal, you can set another one.
• Write it down. Tell others your goal and ask them to check up on you. Post your goals where you can see them everyday so you don't forget. If others are asking, you will be more accountable.
• Don't look for a quick fix. Most of our goals are to improve us over the long-term, not just in the next few months. If something sounds too easy or too good to be true, it probably is. Reaching your goal is hard work, don't look for the easy way out.
• Be prepared to change your ways. Once again, our goals help us improve in a permanent way. If you want to lose weight but aren't prepared to change your eating habits or physical activity habits, then you won't be successful. If you want to save more money but aren't prepared to watch your spending habits or cut back, you won't be successful.
• Be specific. When you write down your goal, make sure you specify when, where, how, why, etc. If you want to save more money, give yourself an amount to save each month or an amount to save by a particular date. What are some ways you plan to save or where are you cutting back? Give details.
• Keep a journal. Track your progress, setbacks, and other information. You can look back at this information to find trends when you made great progress or trends when you weren't successful.
• If you don't reach your goal, set a new one. Everyone has setbacks but don't let them make you give up completely. What can you do differently this time around to make sure you reach your goal?
• Enlist the help of others. Did a close friend lose weight by eating less and being more active? Ask them for tips. Find a professional who can give you more assistance.
• Reward yourself if you meet your goal or choose small rewards when you make small progress toward the goal. It can be something simple, but make it similar to your goal.
  
• If you don't want to set a goal of one of the more common resolutions (weight loss, saving money, etc) then pick an area of your life that could use improvement. Everyone has one area where they can improve. Can you be a more effective leader? Spend more time with your children? Develop a better relationship with your neighbors? Think of something you want to improve personally or professionally.
  

Spiritual wellness

Spiritual wellness is not just about going to church or practicing religion. Spiritual wellness is a personal matter involving values, beliefs, and a purpose in life. Having compassion, capacity for love and forgiveness, joy, peace, and fulfillment also define spiritual wellness.

The demands of the world, especially during the holiday season, can mean that people forget to take time out of their busy schedules and reconnect with the important things in life. The holidays can also bring about sorrow or loneliness. Here are some things to try to get back on track with your spiritual wellness this season.

1. If you are feeling stressed, pause for a minute and take 5 deep breaths. Clear your mind of those stressors during those deep breaths.

2. Stop for a minute and think about a few things that you are grateful for in your life.

3. Remember and bring forth to the front of your mind your beliefs during the holiday season.

4. Take some time to look at the beauty of the holidays - lights, decorations, or music.

5. Give to someone else. Even if it's not much, the return on giving is invaluable.

6. Think about some things you really enjoy doing this time of year. If possible, do as many of those as you can!

7. Play in the snow. Be silly, build a snowman, or throw snowballs. The simple act of playing and laughing can help with stress.

8. Express appreciation to others. A kind word or note goes a very long way. You may think the person already knows, but they may not.

9. Live in the moment. Try to fully experience joy, fulfillment, and happiness this time of year. Too often, we get caught up in thinking about later or tomorrow. Enjoy yourself at this moment.

10. Remember your joyful memories of the holidays and share these with others.

11. Slow down and listen. Peace and joy can be found when you just listen to the simple things.

Holiday food safety

Here are some things to remember about food safety for the holiday season. Keep these things in mind during parties, dinners, or other events.

1. Don't leave food out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Once the food reaches a temperature between 40 and 140 degrees F (the danger zone), bacteria is growing more rapidly on that food. It can be unsafe to eat and may cause food borne illness if it has remained that temperature for over 2 hours. If you have people eating at different times or snacking throughout a party, either keep the food on ice, keep it hot, or just keep a small amount out and refill as necessary.
2. Don't thaw meats on the counter top or in an empty sink. You either need to plan ahead to thaw food in the fridge, use the microwave if you will immediately cook the food, or fill a sink with cool water and submerge the meat (you must change the water every 30 minutes to keep it cool).
3. After eating, store leftovers in proper containers and put into the fridge or freeze right away. Remember the 2-hour rule for leftovers too.
   
4. If you cook a big pot of chili, soup, or something similar, repackage the leftovers into smaller containers and put into fridge or freeze. Don't put the entire pot into the fridge, it may not cool properly and quickly enough. It may remain in the danger zone for too long.
5. Wash your hands, sinks, counter tops, and utensils properly. If you are cooking with raw meat, be careful not to cross-contaminate other foods, the sink, or cutting boards.
6. If you go out to dinner and get a to-go box, get it into the fridge within 2 hours. If you plan to do some shopping or go to a movie, the food will not be safe to eat if it has been more than 2 hours.
   
7. Use a meat thermometer to make sure foods reach the right temperature. Use one to check hot items on a buffet (should be at least 140 degrees F) or to check to see if you meats are done. Leftovers should be reheated to 165 degrees F. The innermost temperature of turkey should reach 165 degrees F. For more internal temperature, read this guide from the USDA
8. When in doubt, throw it out! It's better to be on the safe side rather than risk someone getting sick.
9. Don't pack the fridge too full. Air needs to circulate around foods to keep them the right temperature. Clean out your fridge often for leftovers and before a big dinner.
   
10. When you have other food safety questions, use the USDA as a resource. Their facts sheets on food safety are available here.
    

Refrigerator food safety

A refrigerator is a necessary piece of equipment for food safety in the kitchen. We may not realize the importance of our refrigerator until we lose power or are without one. Here are some ideas for keeping your foods safe in the refrigerator.

The temperature of your refrigerator should be at or below 40 degrees F. Bacteria grow most rapidly at temperatures of 40 to 140 degrees F. Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacteria growth. You can use the built-in thermometer or a separate appliance refrigerator to measure the temperature.

If you lose power, you will need to check the temperature of your refrigerator to see if the foods are still safe to eat. If they are still at 40 degrees F, they are safe. If they have been above 40 degrees F for more than 2 hours, a lot of the foods will need to be thrown away. Some things may not need to be thrown away, such as butter, oil-based salad dressing, peanut butter, hard cheese (not shredded, it must be thrown away), Parmesan cheese, fruit juice, canned fruit, jelly, ketchup, mustand, BBQ sauce, and some others. Mayonnaise must be thrown away if it has been above 50 degrees F for more than 8 hours.

Food in large pots should be divided up into smaller portions then stored in the refrigerator. It will cool faster in smaller portions and have less bacteria than a large portion. This will lessen the chance for food-borne illness when this food is eaten.

Raw meats should not be stored above other foods, in case they drip juice and contaminate those foods. Keep them separate from fresh fruits and vegetables too. Eggs or other dairy products that need to stay colder should not be stored in the door. The temperature of the door can vary each time the door is opened.

Try to clean out your refrigerator once a week to keep it clean of spoiled foods. A box of baking soda can help eliminate odors. Equal parts vinegar and water can be used to clean up any spoiled food, as can baking soda and water.

For food storage times, check out this Fact Sheet from the USDA.

Exercise Motivation

Do you need some extra motivation to stay active this time of year? It can be tough to stay active during the busy winter months, but here are some tips to keep you physically active year-round.

1. Even if the weather is too cold to go for a walk or do activity outdoors, then bring it indoors. Do an exercise DVD, turn on some music and dance, or use a fitness facility during the winter.

2. Schedule your physical activity on your calendar just as you would a doctor's appointment. Write it down with the time so you are more accountable.

3. Find an exercise buddy. You will both keep each other accountable and can enjoy some social time as well.

4. If you can't find the time in your day to be active, make sure you add in activity when you can. Park further away at the grocery store, walk an extra lap or two around the mall or store, and make sure you take the stairs instead of the elevator. You can also pace while talking on the phone, do toe raises while brushing your teeth, or walk and talk at the same time with a co-worker.

5. Try to do some exercise even if you feel tired. Just try for 5 or 10 minutes and if you still feel really tired, then you can stop. Chances are, you will feel more energized and keep going.

6. If you are ill or sick, it may be best to take some time off from exercise. However, physical activity can help prevent illnesses, so stay active to stay well this year.

7. Watch 30 minutes less television a few times a week and use this time for physical activity.

8. Set a goal for yourself to meet in late winter or early spring. Do you want to complete your first 5k (3.1 miles)? There are lots of those to choose from in the spring and you can walk or jog. Do you want to walk 2 miles in 30 minutes, without stopping? Choose a date to meet this goal. How about learning a new physical activity, such as aerobic dance, pilates, or yoga before the spring? Check out the availability in your area.

9. If you are going to make a New Year's Resolution to be more active, why not start it now? Try to make it last more than a few weeks or a month. Physical activity should become a habit in your daily life, not just something you do for a few weeks and then stop.

10. Buy some new athletic shoes, new workout gear, or an Ipod or music player. Something new, even if it's something small, can get your motivation level up. Or, put an amount of money into an envelope every time you exercise and save that money up for something special.