Easy To Make, Hard To Keep

It’s coming. The tsunami of New Year’s resolutions that often leave us defeated – “I will exercise more, I will eat healthier, I will lose weight.” All honorable goals set in an effort to achieve optimal health. Why, as the calendar year advances, do we watch our resolve fall quicker than the Times Square Ball on New Year’s Eve?

According to John Norcross, PhD, a behavioral scientist who has conducted research on the sustainability of New Year’s resolutions, there are several indicators that predict success – employing strategies and achieving self-efficacy. These factors are at the root of behavior change and are critical for long-term success.

Strategies that can encourage successful nutrition-related change in the New Year include:

Batch cooking – prepare healthy ingredients, like steamed broccoli, cauliflower, quinoa, and roasted Brussels sprouts at the beginning of the week and keep them in your refrigerator to easily assemble quick, healthy meals.

Prepare your environment – remove temptations like salty snacks and sweets from your home and replace with healthy alternatives like prewashed/cut fruits and vegetables, raw nuts, and homemade dips like hummus. Stock your freezer, refrigerator, and pantry with unprocessed, whole foods.

Buy a small cooler – this is one of the greatest “calls to action” for those who work. The night before, pack your cooler with healthy snacks and lunch so you are not tempted to consume grab and go snacks in the office. Greek yogurt, fruit, pre-portioned bags of nuts, and hard-boiled eggs make great snacks.

Avoid eating processed foods – employing the above three strategies makes this one easier to achieve.

Confidence that you can live a healthier lifestyle comes with determination and practice. Explore those areas where you lack self-assurance and make a plan to address them. If you are contemplating change in the New Year you have already taken the first step to changing your behavior. Draw on your deepest motivation and start strategizing now.

Norcross, J.C., Mrykalo, M.S., & Blagys, M.D. (2002). Auld lang syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year’s resolvers and nonresolvers. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(4), 397-405.

Jeanne Petrucci, MS, RDN is the founder of Living Plate Nutrition Education and Counseling Center. She is a graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University and designs, develops, and evaluates nutrition programming that incorporates hands-on culinary instruction.