The new year is a fresh start for many reasons. The turning of a calendar and end of the holidays mean it’s time to get ourselves back on track. Making healthy resolutions for the new year is easy. Sticking to them is the challenge. Here are three ways to make healthy resolutions for the new year and stick to them.
Set a goal
The first step is to set a goal. And, importantly, goal setting is not always about the ultimate end result you want to achieve. Setting a goal that we want to lose 15 pounds is one thing. For better results, set a smaller aim to move hourly, exercise more, or reduce sugar. By doing the items that will result in losing weight, and setting those as a goal, the result is more achievable and you’re less likely to stop trying after a few weeks of minimal success. Opt for goals such as replacing soda with water, walking for 15 minutes at lunch time, or getting 7 hours of sleep each night. These goals will help the broader goal of losing weight and are more specific than a general goal to “lose weight”.
Write it down
Writing your goals down helps you hold yourself accountable. First, writing it down and placing the goal somewhere you can see it is a good daily reminder of what you’re trying to achieve. Second, put your goal in your calendar. Actively schedule time to work out. By putting an appointment on your calendar, you’re less likely to overbook, forget, or make excuses as to why you can’t exercise that day.
If your target is to eat better, put together a menu plan. Planning your meals and shopping specifically for what’s on your list saves you from eating whatever is convenient or unhealthy at the moment. When you know you’ll be dining out, look at the menu ahead of time and know what you’ll order.
Finally, simply writing goals down, pen to paper, makes the goal feel tangible and attainable.
Tell a Friend
Telling someone—a close friend, a spouse, a co-worker—also helps hold you accountable to your goal. Better yet, get someone to work on goals with you. If your objective is exercise, get a walking buddy or a personal trainer to keep you moving. If you want to eat better, join or host a cooking prep club where you’ll plan and make your meals ahead of time for the week or month. If you don’t know someone that wants to do that with you, join an online group. We are often more motivated by others and not wanting to let someone down, than we are on our own. A buddy or a group not only holds us accountable, but makes the process more fun.
Do you have any healthy resolutions you’ll make this year? What will you do to make them stick? Email us and let us know you best tips for making and achieving your healthy resolutions.
