One of the secrets to success in any long-term project is maintaining your motivation, which can be harder if you try to make too many improvements all at once.

If you are making resolutions for the coming year, I suggest you start with only one or two. But then come back and revisit them periodically throughout the year to make sure you're continuing what you started, and to think about adding something else.

As you seek to improve your health during 2008, see which of these sound right for you:

• Get a preventive health checkup. If you're healthy and under 40, once every five years might be fine. Over 40, I'd think about every one to two years. After 50, I suggest annual checkups.
• Get your blood pressure checked. High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of those "silent" health problems that usually cause no symptoms at all. Left untreated for years, it can kill you.
• Get your cholesterol checked. For a more thorough evaluation, you should ideally do this after fasting for at least six to eight hours. Like high blood pressure, high cholesterol is a silent killer.
• Increase your physical activity. You don't have to call it exercise. Find something fun that makes your heart beat faster and makes you breathe harder.
• Improve your eating habits. Eat fewer calories overall, especially cutting down on fat, sugar, and simple carbohydrates. Notice I didn't suggest a diet - this needs to be a permanent lifestyle change.
• Lose a few extra pounds. You probably didn't gain 30 pounds (or more) in three months, so don't try to lose them that fast. Eat a little less, exercise a little more, and try to lose two pounds a month. After just the first year, you'll be 24 pounds lighter and feel a lot better.
• Drink responsibly. Up to two alcoholic drinks per day is OK for most people. If you want or need more than that, or find yourself drinking every day, you may have a problem. And don't even think about driving if you've been drinking.
• Avoid tobacco. If you smoke or chew, try to find the motivation to quit. There is a lot of help available when you're ready, but the best predictor of success is to really want to quit. If you've already quit, then congratulations - you should celebrate your improved health.
• Respect firearms. If you have firearms in your home, think about safety measures. Are they loaded or unloaded? Are they locked? Where is the ammunition kept? Do you have children? Has everyone been trained to handle them safely? Could visitors (especially children) gain access to them?
• Practice safe sex. Avoiding HIV, hepatitis, and other sexually transmitted infections is a lot easier than curing or controlling them.
• Wear seatbelts. Whether as a driver or passenger, don't ride unrestrained.
• Wear helmets. Riding a motorcycle or bicycle, rollerblading, skiing, skateboarding, snowboarding - anytime you're out in the open and moving fast - you are at risk of accidentally smashing your head into a solid object. Ouch!
• Make your home safer. Install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Check for high levels of radon.
• Learn your family medical history. Holidays are often a good time to catch up with relatives. The more details you learn about their health, the more you'll know about problems that you may be at risk of developing.

Most of these resolutions don't require a lot of extra effort or detailed planning. While they may not be fun, they are relatively simple steps that can go a long way towards making (and keeping) you healthier!