Fresh New Year's resolutions may be buzzing around inside your head, and this time you really mean it.

You are definitely going to save money in 2010, stop biting your nails, watch less TV, be nicer to people, aren't you?

Or, like most, your resolution is a personal health choice – lose weight, eat more fruit and vegetables, get fit, stop smoking or drink less alcohol.

Whatever the change, the easy part is thinking about it. Keeping it up beyond the the first week is the tough part.

First, just check whether it's sensible to make a New Year's resolution at all – would another time be better? Then, is it really achievable and realistic? Deep down, do you really want to do it?

If the answer is yes, make it easier on yourself by breaking it up into small, simple goals. This boosts your chances of success, and failure, disappointment and guilty feelings are less likely to stalk you.

Motivation is also easier to maintain if you are honest with yourself at the start about what is practical and workable for you. Ask yourself how your choice fits your lifestyle, work and family commitments. How important is it on a scale of one to 10 to make some changes?

Motivation really begins, after choosing something realistic, when you start to see some benefits, no matter how small. That excitement makes you want to keep going.

If fitness is your choice, leave the marathon off the list at first. Simply speed up your steps while walking the dog until it makes more sense to jog. Gyms motivate some people but are a turn-off for others. Phillip Mills, founder of Les Mills International says, "Come February many people have already given up. The answer? Make exercise fun. As my father Les Mills has always said: `You have to find a way to fall in love with fitness'."

If eating better is the aim, a switch from full to reduced fat or skimmed milk is a small but significant change. If you want to cut back on alcohol or tobacco start by listing what you enjoy and what you don't enjoy about these substances; often, that list is a basis for a realistic resolution.

Quitline Chief Executive Paula Snowden says, "January always sees a jump in figures for the free Quitline service.

"Quitting is easy, but staying quit is hard. Those who call the Quitline are five times more likely to stay quit."

Whatever your resolution, reward yourself when you accomplish small steps – bigger goals are then more likely – and decide whether you'll be more likely to succeed if you tell others.

It can help to have a trusted mate to support and encourage you.

Making healthy choices at any time of year requires courage, character and commitment.

(Published in the Sunday News, 3 January 2010)

More everybody MYHEALTH columns from Barbara Docherty

Barbara Docherty is a registered nurse and clinical lecturer at the University of Auckland School of Nursing, and writer for the everybody.co.nz website. The opinions contained herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of the publisher or sponsor. Copyright UBM Medica (NZ) Ltd.