We are into the 2nd day of the new year and already that resolution to eat better is seeming to be not as easy as it seemed on December 31st. All too often, we make resolutions in December to eat better, lose weight, exercise more, save money, etc. Our motivation to do these things with the approaching date of January 1st, is high and we are optimistic that this year will be the year it will all be different. The only problem is, with goals this general, it is easy to get side-tracked and sent of course. Life is busy, life will always be busy and making the time for one more thing can seem daunting and sometimes just exhausting.
Unfortunately, our brains are not hard-wired to do things that make us uncomfortable and will fight to keep us comfortable at all times. The things we do on a daily basis become habits, and re-training our brains to break unwanted habits and/or start new ones requires us to begin new behaviors instead of fighting against, “not doing” an unwanted behavior. So for instance, if you know that at 2:00pm you get tired and reach for a candy bar, instead be prepared before the next day and the same behavior pattern presents itself. Bring with you a healthy snack of vegetables and hummus, homemade smoothie or homemade small meal. Make sure to make it something that you will enjoy eating so you don’t even think twice about the candy bar.
Make your goals a lifestyle and not a resolution. Creating habits that last a lifetime will be much easier to keep going, long after the motivation disappears.
