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Promises, promises

Experts share advice on how to make, keep New Year resolutions

So you've eaten too many tamales this season, drank one too many cervezas, and blown through your savings on those must-have gifts. With the holidays officially over, people are wondering how to make amends for all that overeating, overspending and overworking. It's time to lay bare your New Year's Resolution.

Each year, millions of Americans make them and Latinos are no different. Topping the resolution list this year is health and fitness, personal growth and interests, and finances, according to Greg Helmstetter, CEO of myGoals.com in Scottsdale, which compiles an annual list of nine popular resolutions. Family clocked in at No. 8., with travel and leisure last on the list.

The reality of New Year's resolutions, however, is that many people will have broken them by Feb. 1. So why do we make them? According to historians, resolutions are a human trait that is almost as old as mankind. About 4,000 years ago, the Babylonians made resolutions once a year at the time of the vernal equinox. Most of their resolutions had to do with returning borrowed items, in particular farming equipment. The ancient Babylonians believed that the vernal equinox, which marks the first day of spring, was also the beginning of the new year.

The resolution has come a long way from the simple task of returning farm equipment. People now create complicated resolutions, such as starting a new business, dropping 20 pounds in three months, and finding a new spouse. The resolution consists of a declarative statement and comes with solid plan. Not having a plan is one reason why many resolutions quickly fizzle, according to Pauline Wallin, a clinical psychologist who writes about how to make New Year's resolutions stick.

Another reason is that people become discouraged when results don't come fast enough. Wallin explains that behavioral change requires sustained effort and commitment, something Americans forget. People who change habits gradually have a greater change of success, she says

If you've already made your New Year's resolutions, or are still thinking about making them, here are five tips to help you achieve them:

1. Set realistic goals. Can your goal be realistically achieved? This may require some research. If saving money is the goal, take a hard look at your budget. How much money is left over each month? Can any bills be dropped? Putting $5,000 in savings in 2007 won't work if you only have a monthly surplus of $200.

2. Create a plan. How do you plan on reaching your goal? Will you be working out three days a week to lose two pounds a week? Which three days will be your gym days? Will you work out in the mornings or evenings? Experts say these are questions that should be answered for resolutions to succeed.

3. Focus on one goal at a time. Many people start the New Year with 10 or more resolutions. That's just too many to handle. Once you achieve one goal, you'll be ready for the others.

4. Log your efforts. Research has shown that people who record their progress are more likely to stay on track. Write down your progress. Take pictures. Make graphs. Use a spreadsheet. All this shows the steps forward you've made and keeps you on track.

5. Allow for failure. No one is perfect. In fact, psychologists say you should expect to falter every now and then. What's important is that if you do give in to temptation, don't abandon the whole program. Just pick up where you left off.