READING, Pa. – Everyone has seen it before, the “new year, new me” promise to ourselves when the calendar turns to January. How do we stick to these goals? A physician over at Patient First has some tips.

“Take care of yourself before you take care of others, that’s the main focus of 2024,” says Dr. Daived Abboud, MD, Patient First.

This is the first step according to Daived Abboud, a physician at Patient First.

“Take a sabbatical, focus, refresh, get plenty of sleep so you’re ready for a life change,” says Dr. Abboud.

It’s not a race, and it’s the small wins that count.

“If you have to take extra steps to get to your car, do that. If you have to take the stairs instead of the elevator, do that,” says Dr. Abboud.

Its not all physical changes, Dr. Abboud says you must take care of your mental health too.

“You want to do one thing at a time, start with one lifetime modification,” says Dr. Abboud.

Everybody’s bodies are different. He recommends increasingly – but slowly – adding more challenges. You don’t have to cut out your favorite foods, just have them in moderation.

“If you want to have ice cream, have ice cream! Instead of having two scoops, have a spoonful,” says Dr. Abboud.

Follow up with your physician.

“You can do your routine exam, you do blood sugar, cholesterol,” says Dr. Abboud.

If you can, get your exams done at the start of the year.

“So, you get a baseline and you can start tweaking every month,” says Dr. Abboud.

Don’t try to lose all the weight at once.

“Three to four pounds a month is sufficient enough in the long process you will have a wonderful change,” says Dr. Abboud.

Doctor Abboud’s biggest piece of advice: “Go to bed early, go to bed on time, be refreshed, be exercised, be excited about this.”

He recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Once you start, don’t give up. Getting started is the biggest step.

“The hardest part of going to the gym is actually going to the gym,” says Dr. Abboud, “When you say you tried you already failed so let’s be active about it and do it.”