🙌 New Year's resolutions that actually stick

It’s Tuesday, Boston.

🏆 New England got some love from the Golden Globes. Several movies, shows, and actors with ties to the area were nominated, including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s “Air,” Ayo Edebiri in “The Bear,” and yes, even “Barbie.” Check out the full list of nominees here.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Holiday travel is BACK

• Not-so-sexy wastewater news

• Boston pizza controversy

Up first...

12 DAYS OF B-SIDE

New Year's resolutions gone right

If you tend to give up your New Year's resolutions by February … you’re not alone. In fact, by some estimates, as many as 80% of people do. This year, we asked experts in the most common resolution areas how to make and stick to sustainable goals.

Here’s what they told us:

📚 If your resolution is to read more … be true to your tastes. “The whole point is that reading is fun,” said Veronica Koven-Matasy, reader services supervisor at the BPL’s Central Branch. So, if you really want to read more long term, the best thing you can do is to choose books you actually enjoy. Be honest with yourself about your taste: “Not everyone wants to read a 1,000 page Russian novel!” she said.

🏋️ If your resolution is to workout more … slow and steady wins the race. When it comes to fitness resolutions, most people try to do too much, too soon, said Mark Harrington Jr., president of Healthworks Fitness. One to two days a week of working out all year long is much better than seven days a week for a month and then zilch, Harrington said, because consistency always wins out in the long run.

🍷 If your resolution is to drink less … lose the ‘all or nothing’ mindset. To drink less, outlining a specific goal is the first step toward that change, whether that's a dry January or only drinking on the weekends, said Pat Dooling, owner of Dray Drinks. But if you stumble: Don’t panic, he said. Instead, just “use your stumble as information” that can help you as you continue towards that goal, Dooling said.

🛌 If your resolution is to sleep earlier … treat yourself like a baby. In order to maintain her 6:30 p.m. bedtime, 3 a.m. wakeup schedule for work, Paris Alston, co-host of GBH’s Morning Edition intentionally makes time to “self-sooth” before bed. Anything from yoga, a calming playlist, or a candle can be enough to set yourself up for an easier time getting to sleep.

🍎 If your resolution is to eat healthier … make a plan. When trying to eat healthier, it’s better to add “good” things to our diet (like more water, more veggies etc.) than to subtract “bad” ones, says Dr. Uma Naidoo, a nutritional psychiatrist and author. She suggests implementing changes one at a time and setting yourself up for success by planning ahead: If you want to drink more water, buy a water bottle, if you want to eat more veggies, keep them around the house. 

QUICK QUESTION!

📝 Do you stick to your New Year’s resolutions?

TOGETHER WITH MBTA COMMUTER RAIL

The perfect stocking stuffer doesn’t exi…

🎁🎄 Shopping for a commuter or weekend explorer? Get them a practical (and fun) gift they’ll actually use: Commuter rail tickets! The commuter rail offers freedom from traffic and endless adventure with $10 weekend (unlimited rides Saturday and Sunday), single, round trip, or monthly passes. Give the gift of carefree travel this holiday season, and buy tickets at North, South or Back Bay station today.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🚗 Holiday travel is BACK, baby! After a near-record breaking year for Thanksgiving travel, it looks like the holiday travel season will be giving it a run for its money. AAA forecasts that 115.2 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more from home for the holidays in between Dec. 23 and New Years Day, which is their second highest forecast ever, only 3% behind 2019 overall, and even beating out 2019 numbers when it comes to air travel. You can check out their whole report here.

🦠 Wastewater isn’t sexy, but it is news. After Sunday and Monday’s storms, a public health warning for three sewage discharges in Boston-area waterways have been announced. But despite being kind of gross, it isn’t cause for panic. Basically, the city advises that for the next 48 hours, Bostonians avoid physical contact with the waters of Upper Inner Harbor and Charlestown, the Lower Inner Harbor near Jeffries Point, and the Fort Point Channel near W. Fourth Street. Keep up with the latest here.

🏠 Homeownership alone won’t mend Boston’s racial wealth gap. At least, that’s what the Globe’s “Money, Power, Inequality” team reports in their most recent piece. Although it certainly isn’t a fix-all for solving decades of systemic disparities, homeownership can be something like a “golden ticket” in today’s housing crisis. However, it’s much more difficult for Black Bostonians to not only buy in, but to hold onto their homes. You can read more about it here.

🎁 If you’re still working on your holiday shopping … Why not do it with a beer in hand? Or … in the presence of a keg tree? If that sounds appealing to you, Sam Adams is hosting its very own Holiday Pop-up Market at its Downtown Tap Room on Dec 13. There will be decorations, music, an array of fabulous vendors, and a special holiday drag performance! Space in the tap room is first come, first-served, but if you’re interested, you can RSVP here.

GIVEAWAY

Giveaway alert!

Enter our 12 Days of B-Side Giveaway (worth $1,000!+). Over the next 12 days, we’ll be giving away items from some of Boston's favorite brands (Rev’d Cycling, Big Night Entertainment, New England Inns and Resorts and more!). One entry will give you eligibility to all prizes, so the earlier you enter, the more prizes you can win. Refer a friend before 12/21 to be eligible. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're already enrolled! Full details below*

ONE LAST THING

A pizza controversy 

If you haven’t heard (or watched) the controversy that ensued last time Barstool Sports owner David Portnoy was in Boston, now might be a good time to brush up, because he’s back for another review.

Last time Portnoy was here, he got into a hostile exchange with the owner of Somerville’s Dragon Pizza after calling it the “worst pizza place in America.” Although things got pretty heated, it seems like the whole fallout ended up giving the pizzeria a pretty solid PR boost.

This time, Portnoy is reviewing DaCoopas, an East Boston institution that has been around for decades, ( BTW, we also reviewed them … and thoroughly enjoyed). You can keep your eyes peeled for the video to drop here. 

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🍕 Thanks for reading! DaCoopas, you’re in our thoughts and prayers.

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, MBTA Commuter Rail, for supporting local journalism and making transportation in and around Boston more accessible. 

🎁 The results are in: 33% of B-siders spent over $500 on holiday gifts so far this year. Okay, big spenders! One reader said: “Definitely not something I wanted to think about first thing Monday morning lol.”

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].