Making Better Resolutions in 2023

First things first, Happy New Year!

As we begin 2023, many of us are setting health and wellness resolutions to kick off the year. We’ve reflected back on our past experiences, achievements and shortcomings and are all pumped up for a fresh start. However, let’s not let our enthusiasm to make changes make us go overboard and bite off more that we can chew.. literally.

Studies have shown that 80% of people who make new year resolutions abandon them by February. When it comes to healthy eating, exercise and changing our lifestyle, we tend to adapt the all or nothing mentality. We are so focused on becoming better versions of ourselves that we rush and forget to ease in to it hence setting ourselves up for failure. Therefore, apart from making sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound (SMART);

Here’s A Simple Checklist to Help You Make Better Resolutions In 2023.

Be realistic and start small.

If you lead a pretty sedentary life, for example, and would like to become more active in the new year. Deciding to go the gym 5 days a week for 2 hours is too ambitious a goal. Scrap that from your planner and write, ‘take the longer route while walking to the local grocery store every week’. What I’m trying to say is you need to start small and build it up from there.

• Don’t panic and reach for the extreme.

When it comes to healthy eating what matters the most is how sustainable your diet is. This year, avoid all extremes forcing you to cut out major food groups i.e carbs and fat or go on cleanses that require you to be on a liquid diet for weeks on end. Trust me, it’s not meant to be that hard. When done right, healthy eating is not meant to feel like punishment and make you miserable. It is the year to let go of all the mis- information and myths surrounding nutrition and wellness. Stay away from anything promising you instant success with no mention of lifestyle change. Yes, even the weight loss pills and teas.

• Celebrate the wins.

No matter how small, recognize all the steps you have made towards eating and living better. Appreciate yourself for being intentional with your journey and making conscious effort towards your goal. You will not always have good days, which is why taking time to celebrate your milestones is important.

• Be kind to yourself.

Yes, on the course of your journey, failure is inevitable. You will have off days here and there where your unhealthy eating habits pop back in. This is why it is extremely important to be conscious of this and even plan ahead for it. Recognize that this completely normal and it doesn’t negate all the effort you have been putting in. So, give yourself grace, dust yourself off and jump back into the game like you never left.

• Create a support system.

Aside from managing to keep ourselves accountable, everyone else we surround ourselves with plays an important role on this journey. You need someone to reaffirm your choices, someone to help you celebrate your wins no matter how small and most importantly someone to offer encouragement when you want to give up. An accountability partner can come in form of your partner, friends, family or even your dietitian. Healthy eating and lifestyle change doesn’t have to be isolating.

TAKE AWAY

Trust me, I completely understand the need for a brand new you in the new year. However, building sustainable habits that lead to lifestyle change takes time.It needs tact. It requires you to be honest with yourself, patient with yourself and most importantly, kind to yourself. Now go forth and prosper.

May this be your healthiest year yet! Cheers!