New Year, New Habits

Happy New Year! Many adults and athletes have set habit change goals for 2023! These goals are often lifestyle, health and nutrition related. 

Now that we are nearly half way through the month, take a look at your goals or your athletes goals and ask yourself, “Am I ready to commit?”. Relying on motivation alone is a recipe for failure. Resolutions or habit change goals fail primarily due to timing because the commitment to the goal, resolution or habit just isn’t the focus. Motivation waxes and wanes. 

In fact, I’ve recently had conversations with individuals who state they don’t even bother setting goals or resolutions because they end up giving up! According to Strava, the running and cycling tracking app, the 2nd Friday of January is deemed “Quitters Day”.  It’s by that day most individuals have given up on their New Year’s resolutions.

So how long do New Year’s resolutions last?

43% of all people expect to fail before February, and almost one out of four quit within the first week of setting their New Year’s resolutions. Most people quit before the end of January, and only 9% see their resolutions through until succession.

Asking yourself or your athlete these detailed questions will flush out if the commitment to habit change is really there.  

1. Why is this goal important to you?

2. What will keep you from reaching this goal?

3. What actions do you have to take to reach this goal? 

4. What are the actions, daily, weekly or monthly?

5. Who will hold you accountable for this goal?

6. How will you track your progress towards this goal?

7. How will you reward yourself when you reach these goals?

For example, the desired habit is to have your athlete eat healthier. First and foremost, the athlete needs to be bought in and understand that eating more quality, nutrient dense foods will improve their athletic performance. If the goal is to have your athlete eat healthier, let’s go through this series of questions to make this habit change more achievable.

1. Why is this goal important to you? The goal to eat healthier will improve my athletic performance. 

2. What will keep you from reaching this goal? The temptation to make unhealthy choices may be a result of having foods with refined sugar in the house.

3. What actions do you have to take to reach this goal? Some specific actions may be to eliminate the refined sugar foods from home so that they aren’t easily accessible and identify options for sweet treats that have natural sugar. 

4. What are the actions daily, weekly or monthly? Daily actions would be to include one piece of fruit per meal per day. Weekly actions would be participating in the grocery shopping so meals for the week can be easily planned. 

5. Who will hold you accountable for this goal? I can be held accountable by friends and family. 

6. How will you track your progress towards this goal? Progress can be tracked using a simple calendar where an X is marked for days where refined sugar isn't consumed. 

7. How will you reward yourself when you reach these goals? I can spend an afternoon with friends or go to a movie with a family member.

Habit change and goal setting does not need to be limited to the beginning of the year but rather when the timing is right, meaning when the commitment is present! 

For more specifics on how kids can eat healthier in the New Year, please email me for a complimentary “Kids Eat Healthy Guide” which includes specific guidance on sugar swaps for kids, on the go snack ideas and quality clean brands for family meal prepping.

With gratitude and in good health,

Amirra Besh

Nutrition Coach
Evolve Health & Nutrition
“Empowering individuals to evolve simple daily habits for sustainable health”