Resolve to Start Easy-to-Keep Healthy New Habits
By Sarah Martin, RDN
2021 has arrived! Are you thinking about setting a resolution? If you’re like millions of other Americans, you will, and it may relate to your physical health. But before you get drawn in by the glittery allure of the latest fad diet, let’s take a moment to look at the science.
Diets promise quick results, but in reality, they can be stressful, costly, and ultimately ineffective. Most of the people who lose weight through dieting will ultimately gain it back. Not only is this extremely discouraging, but yo-yo dieting has been implicated in a greater risk of certain chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and death.
Most fad diets are quite restrictive. Fad diets may offer dramatic results at the beginning, but ultimately they leave us feeling unsatisfied, which is not something we can sustain long-term. Eating shouldn’t be a stressor, nor should cumbersome restrictions be necessary to see results. We can enjoy healthy food that tastes good and satisfies us, while also maintaining our health goals. We can adopt healthy lifestyle habits into our routines that are more likely to result in lost weight, better performance, increased energy, and feeling better. Lifestyle changes allow us freedom of choice because the focus is on an overall healthy eating patterns. And of course, this is better for your long-term health, and far more enjoyable!
So what sorts of goals can you set? Here’s a suggestion for any effective resolution — focus on what you can add, instead of what you can take away. There are plenty of healthy behaviors you can adopt into your routine — drink more water, switch refined grains for whole, eat more veggies, start your day with a healthy breakfast, exercise a few times a week, or cut back on sugary drinks. Choose goals that embrace abundance and leave you with some breathing room.
Still want to eliminate unhealthy behaviors? Break them down into smaller goals. If you’re reliant on constant caffeine and want to give it up, start by exchanging one of your daily cups for tea or water, or swap it for a half-caf blend. Setting smaller goals initially will help boost your confidence and demonstrate which tactics work best for you. After you’ve achieved that, you can always set another goal.
Think about which new habits would best fit your needs and your budget — both monetary and timewise! Think, too, about what is reasonable to sustain long-term. Choose goals that allow you to enjoy nourishing, delicious, filling foods. And even if your goal is to drop a specific amount of weight, remember that weight isn’t just about calories. It is impacted by other aspects of your life including sleep, stress, or underlying conditions. Focus on an overall healthy pattern instead of just the numbers.
The new year is a great time to work on health goals. Just do yourself a favor — choose achievable goals that add healthy behaviors into your life. You’ll feel good about the changes you are making, proud of your accomplishments, and capable of sustaining these healthy new habits.
Sarah Martin is a registered dietician who resides in Buffalo and enjoys writing about nutrition, health, and wellness. Visit bodyandspiritnutrition.com for recipes, nutrition tips, and more. Email Sarah at sarahrdwrites@gmail.com.
