How to Stick To your New Year Goals

If you are like 70% of the population, you have set yourself a diet resolution for the new year. If you are like 50% of the population, you have already broken your diet resolution.

Why is it so hard for us to stick to a diet plan? But why do most of us want to start a diet in the first place?

Lets say, it’s the 2nd of January. You have spent the last 2 weeks eating more than you should. Can you relate?

You see people talking about “new year- new me” and you think it’s a good idea!

3rd and 4th of January passes without a single cheat meal. You have focused on your diet. No sweets have entered your mouth. This is your year!

But the next day has a wedding you must attend, so you let yourself go. I will have only 1 rasgulla. Sounds familiar?

By the end of january all hope of having a diet inplace, has firmly been thrown out the window.

As a Habit Coach, I think having a new year resolution about your food is a great idea. But I do not like the idea of starting a diet. We are better off creating good food habits, instead of starting fad diets. I believe that there are a few things we can do to create the right habits to sticking to our food goals.

1. Hide the Junk: Seeing snacks and junk food around the house, means you will end up nibbling on it. The best way to avoid junk and snacks at home is to not have it around. I keep joking with my clients by saying “your goal is to make the neighbours fat by giving away all the sweets, chocolates and junk food you have lying around”.

   Fat neighbour = healthy you.

2. Have one big bowl of salad every day: One meal should start off with a big gigantic salad. This salad should be full of different kinds of leaves, like spinach, arugula, rocket, kale (if you like it). Throw in a few seeds, nuts, grated carrot and beetroot. Onions for that good pre-biotic fiber. Remember always make your dressing at home using olive oil and an acid, like lime or a vinegar.
3. Only one serving of food: Its wedding season and at a buffet we are often tempted to go for multiple refills, specially since there are so many different dishes to eat! Get into the habit of only eating a few dishes and restricting yourself to one portion. This will greatly help keep your nutrition in check, even when you have no healthy food options around.
4. Plan your meals: Get into the habit of proactively planning your meals in advance. Either have a weekly plan or plan the day before. Approaching healthy eating without a plan is like inviting failure! Your plan should include breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. The plan should also take into account the days you will be eating outside food (weddings and parties). This plan now becomes your guide. The worst mistake is planning what to eat when you are hungry so make your plan after you have eaten.
5. Get an accountability partner: Don’t try doing this alone. An accountability partner can help keep you on track. You can brainstorm ideas and dishes with them. Keep each other honest and on track. Challenge each other, like “no sugar for 3 weeks”. But most importantly it’s about sharing the load. Change is hard!

So use these five simple ideas to keep your new year goals in check. Make it the best year of your life so far!