New Year, new approach to resolutions.

It’s January 23rd and I am still talking about New Year’s resolutions but hopefully in a way that is helpful.

A lot of being a dietitian is talking to people about making changes and I wanted to share some of the things that I have witnessed and learned and experienced about what makes a good change maker.

Change rarely spawns out of nowhere, usually there is an event or exposure to new information or a shifting in thought patterns that leads to the desire to make change.

While this often comes in the form of an intense spurt of action or planning I think it is worth pausing and reflecting here before moving on

Some quick questions to ask are:

·      Is this realistic?

·      Does it align with my values and who I strive to be as a person?

·      What are some things that might make this change difficult?

·      What are my strengths that I can rely on to help me achieve this goal?

 There are different kinds of why’s and not all of them are sustaining.

What I have seen is that if your WHY comes from a place of feeling bad then it is less likely that the change you’re looking to make is going to make you feel good, and feeling good or at least feeling better is just about the best form of motivation there is.

 Let’s use an example..

I am feeling bad about my body, this evokes  a desire to change in the form of

wanting:

·      to lose weight

·      to look thinner

·      to wear smaller clothes

and from this I make a plan:

·      I sign up to the gym

·      I cut out carbs

·      I stop eating after 8pm

So far so good right? But what happens on a day when I am feeling especially bad about myself and my body and then we add in something totally normal like a late finish at work or a poor night’s sleep.

If my only motivation for hitting the gym is the desire to look differently it’s more than likely that this motivation will not be strong enough to get me to the gym on a day like this.

It’s also pretty likely that if I don’t see results in line with my expectations, this motivation will continue to shrink and become less effective at encouraging action. I will begin to see going to the gym as a punishment to myself for feeling/being bad. So, as a protective mechanism I might stop going altogether because I have created a strong association with going to gym and feeling bad… sound familiar?

Another example could be following a diet, (pick a diet, any diet)

When inevitably, eating less or cutting out foods I enjoy has me feeling bad (on top of already feeling bad about my body and the way it looks) then I might have a strong desire to rebel against this self-imposed restriction by eating a certain food or an amount of food that doesn’t fit with my diet. And the reason this feels good is because it is breaking a rule.

I have decided that a certain food is “bad”, and it feels good (at least in the moment) to do “bad” things.

The other thing these why’s have in common is that they come from shame and from deficit.

So what’s the alternative? How do we reframe our motivation to be more, well more motivating?

Utilise intrinsic motivation: which is the drive to do something that comes from personal satisfaction rather than external reward. It feels good to cook a healthy meal, to meet your protein goals, to feel yourself getting stronger and faster

Focus on the positive aspects exercising and eating well brings eating a balanced, nourishing breakfast is always going to provide you with long lasting energy and satiation for the day ahead, exercising releases endorphins that improve your mood and give you an energy boost. Rather than stressing about what will happen if you DON’T do something. 

Utilise the motivation of achievement, use specific and objective metrics that allow you to see with clarity and celebrate when you’ve reached your goals, big and small. Tick things off, write them down, tell your friends, pick a reward. What’s the point of setting a resolution if you don’t even get to enjoy it

Appeal to your sense of novelty and fun. New year’s resolutions shouldn’t strike fear and loathing in your heart. It’s easier to do things you enjoy.

Stop “starting again” often the desire for a fresh start, a clean slate feels like the only way you’ll be able to do something properly.  This is where the “diet starts Monday” mentality comes from, we love to think that if we can get another go at something this increases the likelihood that we will be successful. If your resolution is something that can be failed before the end of January, how well is that really setting you up?

Now, to practice what I have preached I am going to use a personal example of a resolution I have for 2025.

I want to regularly (4-5 days per week) hit my 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of veg in January.

This is a specific, measurable goal, with a set time period and a self-motivating aspect.

I have been tracking this on the calendar page of my 2025 diary using  tally marks and a smiley face if I reach my target for the day (never underestimate the power of an adult star chart!).

Eating fruits and vegetables will always be good for me and because I am not cutting out foods I enjoy I don’t resent the mission. I know that my digestion will improve, my energy levels and satiation will increase and that I will be getting sufficient nutrients to support my health.

Lastly, perhaps the most important part, parameters. Another pothole I see people fall prey to when goal setting.

They raise the bar way, way, way too high and make up silly rules that almost act as self-sabotage. I could have decided that only fresh fruits and veg count or that 3 of my veg servings need to be leafy greens, but what would this achieve besides from making it less likely that I will achieve my goal and more likely for me to decide the whole thing is too hard and just give up.

So get out your list, do some revising and remember that there is no time limit on making change and that YOU get to decide what a good change