Setting New Year resolutions are easy to do at the start of the year, but a little more challenging to actually make them a reality. Did you know the average person reverts back to their old way of doing things after only 4 weeks? So how do we keep our focus on the new intentions and maintain discipline to continue working on those goals?
With personal wellness and family time as two of the top intentions, losing another year of not acting on those changes doesn’t seem like a choice! After all, they involve two important factors that affect our well-being, health and relationships. Once they are achieved, your results are vibrant living!
When your new intentions involve food, whether it’s losing weight or creating a healthier, more balanced life for you and/or your children, there is one thing that can make that happen. Cooking more meals at home! This covers both home cooked meals and family time; priceless…
Did you know research shows that children who enjoy regular meals with their family are not only healthier, but do better in school, attention span, mood, and all aspects of their life. The effects of increased whole foods and less processed even affect hidden food sensitivities we may not be aware of that can have an affect in all these areas.
Cooking more at home can seem impossible with a busy schedule, so how can this be done? Just remember not to make a plan that is too restrictive or overwhelming. Setting ambitious goals are great, but without a slower, step by step approach to achieve them, many of us fail within the first two months.
There are many diets available today, but by now you may have realized that diets don’t work. Making changes rather than starting a “diet” is the best way to making them a part of your daily life. Choose a plan that takes the following into consideration:
- fits into your lifestyle
- dietary likes/dislikes
- food sensitivities
- you & your families schedule
- includes guidance & accountability
Basically a plan that you can customize to meet you and your family needs works best for lasting change. I like to take small, achievable steps by adding a new recipe each week, including a breakfast that may be skipped in a busy schedule, or replacing sugary snacks with healthier, delicious ones. Learning the behaviors that trigger your unhealthy eating, plus someone to hold you accountable and help guide you through the busy times when we want to revert to convenience, can only help in achieving lasting change.
Whether you grab a friend to join you in your journey or a professional, it’s always easier to stay on track with someone by your side. Accountability leads to lasting changes!
So begin imagining your life and how you’ll feel when achieving these goals, and start making them a reality!
