 Ah here it is again, that time of year when the holidays end and the self-deprecation begins. All of the weeks of stress, decadent food and seemingly endless parties have finally come to a close and it’s time to get back to life as usual. It is also a time for new beginnings, reflection and with any luck, a newfound commitment to health and wellness. The problem? We tend to bite off more than we can chew, and as a result burn ourselves out. The key to sustainable changes is consistency. That does NOT mean being perfect every day. It DOES mean showing up to meet your goals more often than not. Here are my 5 tips to help you set realistic resolutions (and keep them!) in the new year! 1. Set Realistic GoalsIf you are a veteran of corporate America, you’ve likely heart of SMART goals. Smart is an acronym used for goal writing that helps ensure that said goals are both rational and accountable. The acronym SMART is derived from 5 characteristics: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. Research has shown that SMART goals are both effective, and efficient1 however most of us don’t think to use them when looking to personal goals. SMART goals can be beneficial for goals of any kind because they help to define and refine your intentions to help set you up for success. So let’s look at an example- a common resolution I hear from clients is they want to eat more healthfully in the new year. Great intention! But where is the specificity? What does a “healthful” diet look like for you? What are some realistic changes that you can make and stick to? This is where smart goals come in handy!  -Get specific First, identify the behaviors you want to change or adopt. Let’s say for example you eat out frequently and know that you don’t always choose “healthy” options when you do. Next, identify the barriers to changing that behavior. Why did you develop the habit in the first place? Or why has changing it been something that’s hard for you to stick to? Be honest here. More often than not people know what to do. For our eating out example, this client likely knows that if they cooked more meals at home they would have more control over what they are eating and would be able to choose more healthful options. However knowing is only half the battle. Lets say this person also has a hectic job and doesn’t have time to cook. With just this first step our client has already shifted their goal from “eat more healthfully” to “find a way to eat out less and cook more frequently.” Now THAT is a goal I can work with! -Make it measureable, attainable and realistic Now that we have a better idea of what our client’s goal really looks like, let’s find a way to define what that will look like for them. If they are eating out 5 days per week, they are likely going to have a hard time pulling a complete 180 and cooking every night. So instead start with small, attainable steps, such as looking up a healthy recipe to prepare, going to the grocery store to purchase foods for that recipe, making a point to carve out time in your schedule to meal prep, etc. All of these steps may seem small, but taken together they are more likely to lead you to your goal because they are manageable. Remember, any step in the right direction is a step worth taking! -Set a timeline Rome wasn’t built in a day. Reaching meaningful goals takes time. So once you’ve got your goals in a format that is specific, measurable, attainable and realistic, think about how long it will take you to achieve those benchmarks. This can be as simple as setting a date for reaching your goal weight, or as with our client who wants to eat out less, can contain a series of progressive steps. For example, he or she may want to start by cooking one meal per week and work up to cooking 2-3 nights per week by the end of two months. 2. “A goal without a plan is just a wish” – Antoine de Saint-ExuperyOnce you’ve identified your SMART goals, it’s time to put them into action! One of the things I love about SMART goals is that they lend themselves so easily to making a roadmap, or plan, for success. By identifying your SMART goals you’ve identified what you want to accomplish, now its time for the how. This will look different for each person and each goal. For example if your goal is to complete a marathon by the end of the year, working with a training group, following a training regimen and joining an online support group might be steps you take to help keep you on track throughout the year. If your goal is to eat healthier, perhaps setting a calorie goal, keeping a food log and making a weekly meal plan are things you can do to help ensure your success. Whatever your goals may be, find a plan of attack that works for you and don’t be afraid to revisit the plan if you feel as though it is not working to help get you to your goals. Sometimes even the best-laid plans don’t lead to success, it is ok to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new one! 3. Celebrate the "Little" VictoriesA common blunder I see clients make is the only set long-term goals. Which is worthwhile, however if you don’t allow yourself to celebrate the short-term milestones towards reaching those goals, it can often feel like you’re not accomplishing anything, which then of course crushes your motivation and can quickly become a reason you stop making progress. Say for example your goal is to lose 50 pounds within a year- that’s realistic, but if you are only measuring your success once per year it is going to feel pretty defeating. Start by setting small goals such as 4-5 pounds per month or 1-2 pounds per week. Only weigh yourself once per week/month and congratulate yourself when you successfully reach a goal. You can also set goals unrelated to weight loss such as learning to love your body, improving your relationship with food and increasing your physical activity. All of these are goals that will help with your long-term goal of weight loss, but they have more tangible results in the here and now to help keep you motivated and stay on track! 4. Expect to Make MistakesAnother huge mistake I see clients make is letting slip-ups derail their entire journey. If you were learning to play the guitar and you messed up a few notes while trying to learn the riff from “Hot for Teacher” would you call yourself a failure and give up? Probably not. That solo is HARD and there’s a reason why Van Halen is famous for it. But as with anything, practice makes perfect. So extend the compassion for yourself in learning a new skill to reaching your health and wellness goals. You’re going to make mistakes. I guarantee it. But the good news is life is not about the mistakes you make but how you respond to those mistakes. Progress not perfection! 5. Don't Deprive YourselfHave you ever noticed that the second you tell yourself you can’t do something, that something is suddenly the only thing you want to do? It gradually becomes all-consuming and before you know it you’ve caved and done whatever it was you weren’t supposed to do and are now filled with regret and shame. If you think about it, it’s a crazy little game we play with ourselves. When it comes to food, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- there is no such thing as “good” foods and “bad” foods. Any food can be incorporated into a healthy eating plan. The key is moderation and planning. If you enjoy a good wine night with your girlfriends, don’t deprive yourself of it just because you’re trying to lose weight. Go, enjoy your night and stick to 1 glass instead of 2 (or 3, or 4…). If you LOVE Oreos, don’t tell yourself you can’t have them. Buy them, but stash them in the back of the pantry where they aren’t easily reached. When you eat them, stick to 1-2, take them out of the package and put the package back in its hiding place before you can reach for more. Small indulgences on occasion will not derail your progress. However if you deprive yourself for week, then cave and binge eat whatever it is you’ve deprived yourself of, not only will you feel ashamed and defeated, you’re also more likely to reverse any progress that you’ve made. Good nutrition is a marathon, not a sprint. Enjoy the journey rather than seeking only the destination.  “Courage doesn’t happen when you have all the answers. It happens when you are ready to face the questions you have been avoiding your whole life.” – Shannon L. Alder And there ya have it folks. My tips to help you get and stay on track with your health and wellness goals in the new year! As always I am here as your ally to help you reach YOUR nutrition and wellness goals, if you need help with more specific planning feel free to book a consult with me (book online at nuyounutrition.com)! Happy New Year! Erin References:
1. Lawlor, K.B. and Hornyak, H.J. (2012). SMART Goals: How the application of SMART goals can contribute to the achievement of student learning outcomes. Developments in Business Stimulation and Experiential Learning, 39, 259- 267.
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Erin Casey, MS, RD, LDLet's be honest, most dietitians go into the field for one reason: we LOVE food. Check out my weekly posts for recipes, healthy eating tips and goal setting strategies to help you live your best and healthiest life! Archives
August 2022
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