Marcello Pedalino Discusses Micro-resolutions, Wellness Tips, and Goal Setting Strategies With Kendis Gibson and Aarrianee LeBeau on PIX11 News in New YorK
Great to see the PIX11 gang again this week and chat about Micro-resolutions. If you plan on setting any goals for 2025, consider taking it "slow and steady" and focus on making small consistent changes.
Check out the segment above or read the interview article below for some helpful goal setting strategies
Cheers, -m
PIX11: What are some of the biggest reasons New Year’s resolutions fail in just one month?
MP: Studies show that one of the biggest reasons resolutions fail is because people set unrealistic goals. Let’s say you’re sitting on your couch and want to start exercising more. That’s great, but, instead of going out and trying to run a marathon, start by making time to go for a 15-minute walk after lunch or dinner each day. Build yourself up to jogging a mile, training for a 5k race, and slowly progress from there. That’s the essence of the micro-resolution. Slow and steady wins the race.
PIX11: So someone who wants to eat healthier might overhaul their entire diet starting January second. What should they do instead?
MP: Micro resolutions mean micro adjustments… Instead of saying you’re never going drink soda again, try to adding a glass of water to of few of your meals. Instead of trying to cut out all carbs, like pasta, bread, and sugar, try swapping out your dinner roll for a sweet potato with butter at a few of your meals. Instead of saying you’re going to eat salads everyday for the rest of your life, just commit to a having a salad for lunch 3x times per week. You can build up slowly to 4 and 5 days per week and soon momentum will be on your side. Eventually, you’ll reach a tipping point where eating healthier- more often than not, will become the natural choice and part of your lifestyle.
PIX11: Instead of doing CrossFit 5 times a week, what’s a better way to achieve fitness goals?
MP: Look, there’s a reason why the parking lot at the gym is full in January and practically empty by March. People don’t pace themselves. I’d start by committing to two workouts per week- whether you go to the gym or at your house. That’s going to be a lot more doable and sustainable for the average person. Soon, you’re going to find yourself WANTING to do up to 5 workouts per week vs. HAVING to do 5 workouts per week. This gradual build up will also help prevent injuries to your muscles and joints from doing too much too soon.
PIX11: People who want to be more mindful might try journaling for 30 minutes a day, is that realistic?
MP: 30 minutes is a really long time if you’ve never sat alone with your thoughts before and tried to write. Try setting a timer for 5 minutes- only. If that goes well, try it again the next day for 5 minutes. Do that for a week and see how you feel. If you like it, increase your journaling time to 10 minutes and then eventually 15-20 minutes per day which the experts say enough time to improve your mental health and reduce stress. Having written two books and writing a healthy lifestyle blog for over a decade now, I can personally attest to the power of journaling.
PIX11: We live in the most sleep deprived city in the world. The average New Yorkers gets about six and a half hours of sleep a night! What can we do to hit sleep goals?
MP: Well, I’m old enough to remember New York being known as “The city that never sleeps” which was a badge of honor back then. But now we know, and we’ve even talked about here on the show in past, we have to prioritize our sleep and shoot for up to 8 hours per night. Start small. Just try going to bed 30 minutes earlier than you do now. Try shutting off your phone 30 minutes before you normally go to bed and read a book during that time instead. OR, you can commit to waking up 30 minutes earlier each day than you normally do. Generally, when you wake up earlier you’re more likely to want to go to bed earlier. It’s a beautiful synergistic cycle that will help you reset your personal circadian rhythm will ultimately result in reaching your sleep goals.
PIX11: And finally, the resolution of doing good deeds - how do we make sure that sticks?
MP: Instead of saying that you want to go out and save the world everyday by sundown, keep it simple, practical, and sustainable. Start by picking one Sunday a month and make that a day to do one small good deed for your town or community. You can start by checking in on your elderly neighbor and asking if they need any groceries or any medications from the pharmacy. Find a Veteran in your town and say thank you, we haven’t forgotten about you, and maybe take them out for a cup of coffee. Donate blood. Clean out your closets and donate the clothes to a local church. Walk around your block and pick up any loose trash you see. These simple yet meaningful actions can be easily repeated once per month and for the rest of the year.
Big goals have a better chance of being achieved with small consistent behaviors- so cheers to mirco-resolutions and a Happy/Healthy New Year!