5 Ways to Turn Healthy New Year’s Resolutions Into Healthy Habits

December 28, 2022

Flat lay composition of notebook with text 2023 Goal, Plan, Action on wooden table. New year resolutions

Ready to rock some healthy resolutions this New Year? The start of the year can be a good time to focus on healthy goals you want to achieve. Common resolutions include weight loss, eating healthy, getting more exercise and quitting smoking. Yet even when we know these changes will help us live longer and healthier lives, many of us struggle to set resolutions and stick to them.

“Everyone is looking to jump on board with these elaborate diets, meal plans and supplements, but I encourage them to take a step back and consider what might be inhibiting your general health goals,” says Rachel Stahl, MS, RD, CDN, CDCES, a registered dietitian in endocrinology at Weill Cornell Medicine. “The biggest piece of advice I give is to take these considerations and keep your goals simple.”

Setting simpler goals creates an easier path to success. This helps to avoid a common pitfall many people make, which is setting larger goals that result in frustration or burnout.

Here are five ways to set healthy resolutions you’ll stick to year-round.

1. Plan and Choose Your Approach

Maintaining a resolution is the hard part, which is why it’s important to plan how you’ll ensure success early on. Think about whether your goal is just something you want right now or something you truly want to change over time.

Then, think about your goal and take the time to think about what you’ll need to reach that goal. For example, “lose weight” is a common resolution people make each year. While “eat better and exercise more” sounds like a good plan, you should take it a step further. Plan how you’ll eat better and when (or where) you’ll exercise more.

“Setting a realistic weight loss goal during the New Year can be effective, if the goal is attainable,” says Sarah R. Barenbaum, MD, obesity medicine director at the Comprehensive Weight Control Center and the GI Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program. “I urge patients to remember that the length of time it takes to achieve a goal is not as important as getting there, so be sure to take it slow and steady.”

The more you think and plan out a resolution, the more likely you are to adhere to it because you’ll better understand the full picture of just what it will take to reach your goal.

2. Find Ways to Have Fun

Resolutions don’t need to be serious all the time. Making changes and achieving lifestyle goals shouldn’t feel like punishments. If you stay positive, you’re more likely to want to engage and keep up with your resolution.

Choose an activity you enjoy. Whether it’s exercise or learning a new skill, choose something you’ll want to do. For example, gardening, walking with a friend or swimming are all forms of exercise that help you stay on track and are fun experiences.
Find the flavor. Eating healthy doesn’t mean eating bland. Swap fresh herbs and spices for salt, try vegetables in a variety of colors or experiment with a new recipe.
Reward yourself. Treat yourself when you meet certain resolution milestones. Choose rewards that don’t slow your progress. For example, consider buying new workout clothes as a present to yourself for making your goals.
Think about the end goal. Don’t forget why you chose your resolution in the first place. Remind yourself of the benefits of meeting your resolution, whether it’s improved health or happiness (or both). Writing these thoughts down can be a helpful way to return to them when you need motivation.

3. Set SMART Goals

Ready to pick a resolution? Using the SMART criteria to set a goal helps ensure your resolution is achievable. SMART stands for:

Specific: Create a specific resolution that’s detailed and defined. Rather than “lose weight,” consider how much weight you plan to lose.
Measurable: Setting a number or quantity to your resolution helps keep it specific. Rather than “eat healthy,” consider eating one more vegetable during weeknight meals. Use these measurements to track your progress over time.
Attainable: Resolutions can only be met if you’re able to complete them. For example, setting a goal to run a marathon when you’re recovering from a knee injury is setting an unattainable resolution.
Realistic: Resources are also important for resolutions. Is this resolution something you want to achieve with the resources available to you? Perhaps you can’t run a marathon with a knee injury, but you could choose a recovery-related goal.
Time-bound: Setting a timeframe makes it easier to set specific resolutions and determine what resources you need. Choose an overall time frame and set up smaller milestones along the way.

SMART goals can be used to achieve success in other areas of your life.

“Setting a SMART goal isn’t just for exercise and nutrition,” Stahl says. “People use SMART goals in their professional and personal lives because the criteria is helpful for creating personalized achievements.”

4. Readjust a Resolution

Even if you think you’ve chosen a simple, SMART resolution, you may need to make adjustments. Changes in daily routine or overall health are just a few of the reasons resolutions need to be adjusted. In fact, it’s helpful to assume each resolution won’t be perfect all the time. Setting realistic expectations helps you stay positive.

“Changing a resolution isn’t failure, it’s a way of ensuring your goals are actually meeting your needs,” Stahl says. “Adjusting a goal helps keep it personalized for you.”

Don’t talk down to yourself if you need to adjust a resolution or if you miss a milestone. Focus on what’s going well. Then, make the changes you need to stay on track.

5. Set up Your Social Support

Even though the responsibility to meet a goal is yours, the social support you receive around your resolutions can make a big difference. Here are suggestions for getting the support you need:

Exercise with others. Exercising with a group or someone else not only holds you accountable, it provides an enjoyable way to socialize.
Join a support group. Joining a group of people with like-minded goals can help provide the emotional stamina to complete your resolutions.
Work with a professional. Change isn’t easy. Sometimes professionals such as a physical therapist, nutritionist or mental health professional offer the additional boost you need to feel supported and meet your goals.

Ready to make healthy resolutions this New Year? Your provider can help you pick a resolution that may benefit you the most. Find a provider today at weillcornell.org/doctors.