Turn Hopeful Resolutions into Healthy Habits

Turn Hopeful Resolutions into Healthy Habits

If one of your New Year’s resolutions for you and your family was to lose weight, get fit, or eat healthier food, you’re not alone; improving your health is one of the most popular resolutions made every year!

Unfortunately, by February many once hopeful resolutions fall the wayside. Busy schedules, high expectations, and life in general may get in the way and prevent you from achieving your goals.

This year, try turning your resolutions into healthy habits. A lifestyle change, rather than a diet, is something you are more likely to keep because you can still eat your favorite food, and you won’t feel deprived.

Here are some tips to help you and your family turn your hopeful New Year’s resolutions into healthy, lifelong habits!

Work as a team. Forming new habits is not always easy, and can sometimes take up to 3 weeks to become something you keep.  Engage the whole family as a team for as much support as possible.

Start slowly. It can be difficult to change your lifestyle, so it is best to start slowly.

• ​Start by making simple changes, like adding in one or two fruits or vegetables, switching to 1% or skim milk, or using whole grain breads and cereals instead of enriched.
• Be sure to try just one of these swaps at a time (say, one per week) or you may feel overwhelmed!

Make exercise fun. Don’t think of exercise as a chore; find something fun that the whole family enjoys!

• Take the family out to build a snowman, find a hill to go sledding on (and get exercise walking back up), go skiing, go for a bike ride, or play a sport like tennis, soccer, or even catch!

​Set reasonable goals. Don’t set yourself up for failures by making unreasonable or unattainable goals.

• If you are looking to lose 50 pounds, you can’t expect to lose it in one month. A weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week is a reasonable and healthy goal.

​Reward yourselves. Be proud of your accomplishments!

• When you and your family achieve a goal, reward yourselves with something nice. Play a board game together, watch a new movie, or make a craft.

Remember, it is okay to make mistakes. There will be times when you miss your exercise for a few days, or overindulge more than you planned.  What is important is that you are able to pick yourself back up when this happens. This is what separates a lifestyle change of healthy habits from just another diet!

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