New Year = New Resolutions

I get it.

And guess what, resolutions related to weight loss and healthy eating are the most common of them all.

Despite the fact that many fail, I have absolutely no problem with New Years resolutions.

In fact, I want to provide some insights today in order to help you ensure that YOURS succeed.

Here are my top 5 things to keep in mind:

1. Rome wasn’t built in a day: The ultimate cliche applies to nutrition too. In modern society we are always looking for silver bullet fixes to our problems, perhaps in no area more than in health and weight management. Several organizations and products rake in the cash based on this very principal and it is something you absolutely need to be aware of.  Before engaging in any resolution, you need to understand the time and committment required and point #2 should help with this as well.

2. Break your main goal down into a set practical objectives:  Successful people and organizations do this all the time, they compartmentalize larger goals into smaller objectives. For example, if your ultimate goal is to eat healthier and lose 20 lbs, break that ultimate goal down into realistic and manageable objectives. For example: trying a new type of vegetable every week, and losing between 2-3 lbs a month.

3. Acknowledge your small victories:  In a wierd way I believe that the best type of victories are small victories. They leave you with the perfect balance of satisfaction and motivation. You must be able identify and acknowledge when you have done well. Your goal may be a long journey away and paying close attention to all the small positive changes you have made will help keep you on track.

4. Expect shortcomings, Don’t dwell on them:  There is no success without failure. If you are heading into your resolution with the expectation of a seamless transition into healthy eating and weight loss, you are doing yourself a disservice.  Many people may abandon their resolution in the face of adversity. My advice is to embrace the hard days or weeks and learn from them, they will teach you valuable lessons if you reflect appropriately.  Learn to acknowledge your own struggles and the situations which put you in difficulty ( ie: snacking, going out with friends, etc), plan to succeed in those situations.

5. Always try to move forward: This final point incorporates the essence of the other four. It is important that, when you have a goal in mind, you ensure steps are always being taken towards that goal. Ask yourself on a regular basis if your actions are in-line with your resolution ( ie: what you pack for lunch, what you buy at the grocery store, etc).  If you feel stagnation occurring on the path towards your goals, take a second to more closely evaluate why that may be.

There you have it folks. If you are in the midst of a healthy eating resolution, please do heed these pieces of guidance as they may provide you a needed boost on your journey.

All the best and Happy New Year ,

Andy De Santis RD MPH