The new year always marks a fresh start when it comes to our health. It’s a great time of year to set new goals and achieve new milestones.
You’re familiar with the common resolutions for health, but how can you sustain your long-term momentum so you can live a bigger, better life?
Knowing what to do to achieve a healthier you is only half the battle. The No. 1 thing I see holding people back is that their busy lives make it difficult to plan and prepare for healthier nutrition. The problem is that planning and preparing are 90 percent of the battle. In fact, they are 90 percent of achieving success in almost anything in life.
The good news is that there are a few strategies you can use to move past the obstacles and struggles.
First, think vividly about your health goal ... in this case, your New Year’s resolution. Don’t leave it at “I want to feel better” or “I want to lose weight.” Take it further and think of exactly what it would look like to achieve your goal if you were looking at pictures of your success in a photo album. What would you be doing? What would it feel like? Who would be with you? How would you look?
Once you have these vivid images, then you know “why” it’s worth spending your time and effort to achieve your amazing vision. Now comes the mindset part. You need to believe that this vision is possible for you. At first it might feel like you’re doing the “fake it until you make it” routine. Just stick with it, and when a negative thought creeps in, think back to the vivid images again.
Next, it’s important to plan what you will eat, and then eat what you planned. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, this is usually what’s missing when people struggle to stick to a healthier eating plan. Tired after a long day of work is not the time to hit the grocery store with no plan. It leaves you very frustrated. I often hear about a healthy grocery store trip followed by a drive-thru meal. Maybe you can relate.
Instead, schedule weekly time in your calendar to plan the foods you’ll be eating. Hit the grocery store after a nice meal and allow enough time to grab your food without being rushed. If you have a plan and the food is readily available at home, you’re more likely to succeed.
Finally, prepare for your success. Preparing the food you bought is important. How many vegetables have you bought that just rotted in the refrigerator? Instead, take the veggies out of the package as soon as possible and wash and chop them. Then, create veggie bags or a large tray so they are convenient and accessible. It also works extremely well to batch-cook, meaning you cook more food at a single time than you will eat. This leaves you with leftovers to pack for lunches or eat for dinner on your very busy evenings.
If you want your resolutions to become “life changers” in 2019, make sure you use these strategies. They seem simple, yet they are a huge part of setting yourself up to achieve your health and nutrition goals.
Fran Sutherlin, RD, MS is a local registered dietitian, digestive health coach, speaker and owner of Sustainable Nutrition. She can be reached at 444-2122 or fran@fransutherlin.com.
