And so it begins, the onslaught of diet culture and trendy fitness fads being rammed down your throat and spamming up your inbox. You want to lose weight, get fit, lean out, get stronger, tighten up, prepare for a wedding, vacation, etc. The inundation of latest trends and the complexity of the latest nutrition trends can be daunting and confusing at times. I find myself often wondering what the best option is for fueling my constantly moving body. How do we navigate all the information and how do we find the best way to improve ourselves in the new year. Here are a couple things I have compiled to help you navigate the new years resolution waters.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
There is so much information out there and it can be quite daunting to figure out what is the right fit for you. You may watch a documentary on the value of going on a plant based diet and in the same day read a thorough research analysis of the benefits of a keto diet. What about intermittent fasting? What about Whole30? What about…? The list goes on and on. It’s quite overwhelming. My best advice when talking about food and nutrition is, do what feels right for you. I know a lot of people who have noted a tremendous increase in energy from a plant based diet AND from a keto diet. I know people who love intermittent fasting and others who have tremendous success grazing throughout the day. It really is an individual journey and you need to make the right decision for yourself based on ALL the information out there. Always keep in mind that research is often skewed to validate a point and to corroborate an opinion. Be on the lookout for confirmation bias in which the researcher forms a hypothesis and uses the acquired data to confirm that hypothesis. This is very common in nutrition based studies especially when it comes to correlation results versus causation results.
MAKE A LIST OF YOUR GOALS
I personally do not have “New Years Resolutions”. I don’t really like the term and I don’t typically use it. However, I am a huge fan of making lists, creating goals for myself both short term and long term, and finding the best way to accomplish those goals. I usually have monthly goals as well as yearly goals and they range from personal, professional, physical, emotional, and financial. Writing down your goals is a great way to hold yourself accountable throughout the month and year.
CREATE A PLAN
Once you have an idea of what you want to accomplish, now it’s time to put that plan together. This can be overwhelming but take it one step at a time and don’t rush the creation of your plan. Remember, having a plan is great but know that the plan can change at any time. The way I do this is starting small. What is my plan for today? What is my plan for the week? What do I hope to have accomplished by the end of the month? How will I achieve my results and what tools will I use to stay on track with my plan? Furthermore, what if I derail from my plan or unexpected things come up that change my plan? How will I recover from that derailment? Journaling is a great tool for keeping all your thoughts, activities, goals, and plans in the front of your mind. If you’re not a person who likes to write stuff down, you may have your own way of keeping on top of your plan. To each his (or her) own!
BE REALISTIC
Being realistic can sometimes be tough when we think about the endless possibilities for our future. When creating the plan and lining up your short and long term goals, make sure that your goals are realistic. Maybe making a million dollars by year end, completely paying off debt, or finding a new career isn’t realistic. Make sure that your goals are something that you can accomplish realistically so as not to set yourself up for feelings of disappointment and failure. I want to be very careful in how I say this because if you open yourself up to what is possible, the sky is the limit. So while your goals should be attainable, don’t be afraid to venture into the sometimes remote possibilities even if they are frightening!
BE FLEXIBLE
Life can change in the blink of an eye. Plans often must change quickly and without much time to process what’s going on. Illnesses can happen, unexpected life changing events (think weddings, babies, family tragedies, job loss), large expenses (in my case a car fire…yikes), and we don’t usually plan for those big life-changing events. Make sure your plan isn’t so rigid that these unexpected events result in a catastrophe. More than likely, these things won’t happen and you will be even further along in your plan than you imagined.
Goal setting can be a lot of fun if you let it. If you approach your goal setting with excitement and embrace the endless possibilities of what you can accomplish, the process can be uplifting and motivating. Keep your goals realistic, specific, and when possible positive. Maintain a healthy balance between achieving your goals and enjoying your life.
