The Elusive New Year’s Resolution Myth…

By: Meghan Prescott

“This year, I’m going to...”

It’s that time of year. We’re 16 days into the new year, which means that most people are about halfway through the time they will actually spend staying committed to their New Year’s resolutions. On average, most resolutions last about 32 days. The jokes and memes about this are everywhere because we all know it’s true. So really, these resolutions are a bit of a myth we tell ourselves every year, but somehow end up in the same place, making the same resolutions on January 1st every year. So, if this seems like a good time of year to start fresh, make changes, and look forward to a healthier year, why do so many of us fail to keep up with the resolutions we’ve made, and what can we do instead to see our health goals realized over the next year?

One of the reasons we have such a hard time is that we commit to things that are way too much change all at once. It can be too much of a shock to our mind and body, our time availability, and our wallets, so we burn out quickly because it’s not sustainable change. Another big reason is that we don’t have accountability for the changes we want to make, and accountability is a huge key to success when we want to make lasting, long-term changes to our health. There are many more reasons, but the last one I’ll mention is mindset. We often get delusions of grandeur around resolution time, but we haven’t invested enough time in planning, preparing, and challenging our mindset around our habits. So, what are some better ways to make lasting changes and to jump into our health goals successfully?

1. Make smaller, incremental changes that can easily be incorporated into your already busy life. Reach for water instead of that second Starbucks in the afternoon, switch out a heavy carb for a salad when you’re eating out, and start eating a green veggie with each meal of the day. It’s about having a starting point that will lead to better choices down the road.

2. Make a plan and find someone to be accountable to! It can be a friend, a family member, or maybe it’s time to think about working with a health coach who can guide you week by week through the changes you’ve been meaning to make for ages. The main thing is to have a weekly check-in with someone who knows your plan and wants to help you succeed!

3. Mindset, mindset, mindset. We can easily talk ourselves out of good choices when that dessert menu comes by, or there’s an offer for another glass of wine, and giving in once can easily lead to a week or 10 of poor choices. Don’t let one choice that’s less ideal derail all the better choices you’ve already been making. Take time daily to think about your why, your plan, and take time to mentally commit to it.

We would love to have the opportunity to help you make some lasting changes to your health, whether through one-on-one nutritional counselling, or in one of our on-line group programs. We would love to invite you to join our Jumpstart January program, which is a great on-line group program that will be challenging, fun, and help to set you up for success this year by helping you make those incremental changes, with accountability, and an environment that can help re-shape your mindset!

Want to get even healthier? Are you ready to take control and reset your nutrition and lifestyle to live healthier in 2023? Do you want to feel your best? Are you sick and tired of feeling sick and tired? Are you curious about how health and nutrition coaching can help you on your journey to optimal health? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with us today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation.  We work with people from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!