Font Resize
It's a new year, and for many of us it represents a time when we get to hit the metaphorical refresh button on our health. In fact, the most popular New Year's resolutions are focused on achieving better health — specifically, getting fit and losing weight. It can be a very inspiring and motivating time until it's not. Research suggests that by June, more than half of us have abandoned our good intentions. This may in part be because in our renewed enthusiasm to make our health a priority we set goals that are too difficult or extreme to maintain over time.
Small positive changes
Most of us are familiar with the expression, "you have to walk before you can run," and though overused and cliché it persists for a reason, because it's true. So often our resolutions involve big changes that we are not prepared to make all at once. As an example, many people want to make the shift towards a plant-based lifestyle, but if your goal is to become vegan, yet you are the type of person that feels a meal isn't complete without meat, it's likely that you are going to find it difficult to sustain such a drastic change. Instead, breaking your goal down into smaller more attainable changes might be a better approach. In this case, a first step might be to implement Meatless Mondays.
Another strategy is to focus on what healthful additions you can make to your life rather than concentrating on deprivation and elimination. For instance, the majority of us are not getting enough fruits and vegetables, whole grains or fiber, all of which have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, support weight management, and improve gut health. If we focus on small ways we can include these foods throughout our day, such as adding a handful of spinach to a smoothie, mixing brown rice into our white rice at dinner or having popcorn instead of potato chips, we would end up eating more of these foods with minimal effort. It is also likely that our small positive changes will naturally displace some of the behaviors we're trying to modify.
The Meatless Mondays example helps demonstrate this. The addition of just one plant-based meal a week would result in the elimination of nearly 10 pounds of meat a year (assuming a three-ounce portion). Shifting our mindset to what we can have rather than focusing on what we can't may make the shift to healthier eating feel more achievable. As these changes become second nature we can look to add new ways to continue building on our healthy lifestyle.
Consistency is the name of the game
No matter where you are in your journey for better health, consistency is key. It's about the accumulation of all the little decisions and actions we make each and every day that over time results in the bigger pay off — good health. You may also find it useful to break your bigger goals down into smaller milestones, such as adding a side salad to your lunch order or walking 10 minutes after dinner. These daily milestones may provide more instant gratification and help keep you motivated along the way.
And don't forget to celebrate and acknowledge your efforts. Every positive step you take for better health, no matter how big or small, is a step in the right direction and cause for celebration.
Constance Roark is a registered dietitian nutritionist and the president and founder of CMR Solutions. Visit cmrsolutionsllc.com.
