As we quickly approach the end of 2022, this blog will be focusing on how you can have a healthy start to the new year! This is a time when many people like to set goals or figure out how they can better themselves in the new year. We’ve listed some ideas below on how you can get a better and healthier approach of what you want your new year to look like.
Try different approaches. What better time to try new things than the new year? Of course, you can always try new things if you feel that a change is needed, regardless of the time of year. If you have found yourself not meeting past goals you have set, try doing it in a different way. Oftentimes, we may repeat things we’ve failed at before but still end up not succeeding. If you approach the same problem in a different way, you may be able to see situations from different points of view and obtain valuable experience that you can apply to other circumstances. For example, maybe you’ve been trying to mainly consume vegetables and fruits to support weight loss but things haven’t been going the way you predicted. You could, instead, try balancing out your diet so you’re getting what you need from each food group. Or, maybe you’ve been trying cardio exercises to build your stamina. You could try doing some strength-training instead. Overall, the most important thing is to learn about your body and what is best for you, as everyone experiences things differently.
Be intentional about your goals: As mentioned in our Goal Setting for the New Season blog, when setting your goals you want to make sure you are passionate about your goal, be a part of an accountability group, and have fun with it! When you’re passionate and having fun with your goal, you’re more likely to succeed as you are self-driven, more motivated, and are actually looking forward to it. Without that drive, it can be difficult to continue as the thought of potential setbacks prevents you from trying your best. Before starting a weight loss program consider changing your beliefs about who you want to be to drive your good intentions. Look at your self-image and self-judgments. Get clear about your desired identity, as noted in James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. It’s also important to choose a weight loss program that offers a support group—a place where you can share your successes and setbacks while asking for tips, ideas, and encouragement.
Setting a weight loss goal?: For those who may wish to lose weight or avoid gaining excessive weight, here are some helpful tips you can consider for your journey:
- Break your goal down into smaller parts. This allows you to see the different steps involved in your goal so you can have a better idea of what you need to do to succeed. For example, let’s say your goal is to eat more fruits and/or vegetables. You can break that down into eating at least four fruits/vegetables a week. And you can get creative with it. For example, you can blend vegetables into a puree then eat is as soup (standalone) or on pasta, as a stew on cauliflower rice, as a dip for crackers, etc. You could also blend fruits into a smoothie or make a parfait. If you have an overall weight loss goal, you can break it down into weeks to help yourself stay on track (ex: if you want to lose 15 pounds, you can space it out to about one pound a week).
- Look for a weight loss program that includes a support group: The group support helps to create a sense of community, “Social support, especially from peers, has been found to contribute to successful weight loss and long-term weight loss maintenance.” (Ufholz, 2020). And this support “is manifested as encouragement and motivation, information, and shared experiences…” (Hwang et al., 2010). There’s also the possibility of joining a virtual support group if you don’t have enough time to meet in person. It’s all a matter of where you look.
Overall, the goal is to do what you feel would make you happier and healthier. Do the best you can and keep moving forward!
Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: Tiny changes, remarkable results: An easy & proven way to build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery.
Hwang, K. O., Ottenbacher, A. J., Green, A. P., Cannon-Diehl, M. R., Richardson, O., Bernstam, E. V., & Thomas, E. J. (2010). Social support in an internet weight loss community. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 79(1), 5–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2009.10.003
Ufholz, K. (2020). Peer support groups for weight loss. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports, 14(10). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-020-00654-4
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
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