How To Keep Your New Year's Resolutions All Year Long

By Denise Zaragoza, a registered dietitian nutritionist, personal trainer and health coach at Marin General Hospital.

MARIN COUNTY, CA – Here we are, mid-January, and have you kept your New Year's resolution? Every year, we make health-related resolutions that start Jan. 1. Whether it's losing weight, increasing exercise, quitting smoking – the reality is that by February, 80 percent of New Year's resolutions have failed. It is during this time of year that I'm often asked, "How can I make my resolution stick this year?" My answer is always the same. Set SMART Goals.

What are SMART Goals? SMART is an acronym for the following:

Specific – Make sure your goals are clear and unambiguous. For example, instead of saying "I want to lose weight," try to make your goal more specific such as losing five pounds or lose one pound per week. When you are setting specific goals – it's easier if you plan ahead. Identify potential barriers and obstacles that could arise.

For example, if your resolution is to workout three times per week, try keeping your workout clothes in your car so you are always prepared. Set yourself up for success and come up with strategies to overcome any obstacles.

Measurable – When you set smaller, more specific goals, you can measure your progress much easier. For example, adding one extra vegetable to each meal would be an excellent example of a measurable goal.

Attainable – Are your goals realistic? If your ultimate goal is losing weight, setting smaller goals along the way helps reinforce your commitment to change. For example, an attainable goal may be going for a walk on your lunch break five out of seven days, or bringing a healthy lunch to work for a month.

Relevant – Make the goals relevant to your particular needs and interests. Don’t resolve to run a marathon if you do not enjoy running. I also use the terms Relatable or Reliable. Grab a buddy or gather support from people around you to help hold you accountable. Often times, going public with your goal helps create a positive environment and keeps you motivated to keep going.

Time-bound – Estimate a timeline to achieve your goal. Goals are best met when the time frame is fairly short (think a week or a month). After you've met you're your goal, adjust as you go and set another! The more often you meet your short-term goals, the longer term they are likely to remain!

Goal setting is the key to making resolutions stick. I often suggest that my clients create a roadmap for themselves, outlining how they are planning to achieve their goals. Can you imagine beginning a road trip without planning it first? The same goes for setting and keeping your resolutions. Think about the specific steps you need to take, think about a reasonable timeline and streamline your energy into action. Transforming your resolutions into smaller goals is a good roadmap for success.

Making Resolutions Stick

When do your new and improved healthy habits become permanent? This usually depends on the individual, but generally it takes two weeks to three months to stay in the groove. Relapse can occur at any stage of the journey, so the key is to remain engaged and mindful as you go. Are you still interested in what you are doing? Perhaps try a different workout class, or be mindful of how your clothes are fitting. I find that people are very focused on the weight on the scale when in fact; weight is a symptom of your behavior. If you are focused on changing the behaviors, you will find success. Remember, the effect of change takes time. Long lasting change is the result of small changes accumulated over time. Small changes, when added together over time can make a huge impact. Be patient with yourself.

Starting and keeping resolutions can be overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be. Think SMART goals, keep them specific and remain engaged in changing your behavior and next year, you’ll need another set of resolutions to make!

Denise Zaragoza, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, personal trainer and health coach at Marin General Hospital. She practices medical nutrition therapy in an acute care setting, working to maximize the nutrition status of patients. She also works to educate and empower the employees of Marin General to adopt healthy lifestyle habits.

To learn more, visit www.maringeneral.org.

Image via Marin General Hospital