Prince George, B.C.-  As the New Year   approaches,  many  will be  thinking about changes they would like to make   for 2016.  Among the most popular  life changes are  quitting smoking and  losing weight.Northern Health’s Tobacco Reduction Lead Nancy Viney,   says  preparing  to butt out can help  you  kick the smoking habit this year.  “Keep a diary of your smoking  prior to  quitting to  identify  your triggers and help you change your behaviours.  Record what you’re doing when you decided to smoke and why you feel you needed one.   You may even find you have reduced the amount of smoking prior to quitting.”  She suggests also   writing down your goals and how you plan to achieve them.  There are  services  available to  help  such  as nicotine replacement therapy  or medications.  You can  connect with  QuitNow.ca for support   or  call Healthlink811  to access the BC QuitNow  smoking cessation program.”Everyday is a good day to quit smoking” says Viney.

When it comes to losing weight,  Marianne Bloudoff says the  focus shouldn’t be on weight loss,  rather,  put  your attention to  developing a healthier lifestyle.  “Make smart  goals  focused on healthy behaviours such as eating  well and being active” says Bloudoff.  “When setting goals or making resolutions,  think about  what you want to win  in the year ahead  rather than what you want  to lose.”

Some of the tips for healthier eating  include:

• eat together  with family or friends
• minimize distractions while eating so you can eat mindfully
• pay attention to  your hunger and fullness ques
• pack a lunch  to work
• build social activities that are not centred around food
• celebrate what your  body allows you to do

Bloudoff also  suggests  developing an action plan, “The more clearly  you can describe your plan,  the more likely you will be  able to put it into action and succeed.”