New Year – New Start

Happy New Year!

It’s a New Year- are you one of the millions to make a New Year’s Resolution?

Two of the most common resolutions for Americans are:

to eat better and
to be more active

As stated, these are general goals and as such you may have difficulty achieving them.

If you choose either one, here are a few tips to help you achieve your New Year’s resolution:

Make a specific goal
The goal should be a positive one
It should be measurable
Keep track of your progress
Be patient with yourself, changes in behavior take time for them to be long lasting

A specific goal could be any of the following:

Hand man writing New year’s goals on note paper

to increase your daily water intake with a goal of 64 ounces per day
drinking seltzer water flavored with a spritz of fruit juice in place of 1 can of regular soda each day
eating 2 pieces of fresh fruit per day
including 1 meatless lunch and/or dinner per week
adding a serving of fresh vegetables at your daily lunch
limiting take-out meals at lunch and dinner to 1X/week
engaging in meal planning for the week and developing a shopping list
trying one new healthy recipe a week
achieving 1 pound of weight loss in a week
if you are trying to reduce your coffee intake, have decaf or decaf tea in place of coffee
using milk in your coffee in place of cream
eating a healthy breakfast every morning
reducing red meat/processed meat intake to 2 meals per week

It will take some effort and planning in order for you to change your behavior. For example, if you don’t have fruit in the refrigerator, you will not have the opportunity to eat it.

Planning can include:

It will take some effort and planning in order for you to change your behavior. For example, if you don’t have fruit in the refrigerator, you will not have the opportunity to eat it.

cutting up fresh vegetables earlier in the week and packaging them in individual servings for each day
measuring out 64 ounces of water each morning and see what is left at the end of the day..
Choosing a weight loss plan under the guidance of a Registered Dietitian
Using half cream and milk in coffee and continue to decrease cream and add more milk
In terms of keeping track of your efforts you can use your smartphone or a small notebook. Keeping track helps to keep you accountable and allows you to see your progress.