WACO, Texas (KXXV) — After the new year, it can be hard to keep up with resolutions — after a few days or weeks, some quit them. Why?
A local expert breaks down the science behind it with 25 News.
- It's best to break down your big resolution or goal into smaller, achievable goals so it doesn't feel as overwhelming
- Give yourself grace — it's okay to fall off and not be perfect — just get back up and try again
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
New year, new set of resolutions. But is this the year you’ll actually stick to them?
“Change is hard — forming a routine is hard," said Jessica Messina, registered dietitian for Aramark Healthcare+ with Baylor Scott and White.
"It’s going to take time it’s going to take perseverance, it takes patience and consistency."
Messina says to start, it’s all about mindset.
“Step one is to set an overall goal — what is your goal? Maybe it is to eat healthy in the new year. But how are you going to do that?", Messina said.
"What I recommend is having that broad goal but then having smaller resolutions — not doing them all at once, but one at a time."
“First things first, if you eat too many fried foods, maybe say I’m going to have one fried food per week, and if you achieve that resolution, go to the next one."
Messina also recommends writing down your why, and keeping it where you can see it as a friendly reminder.
“You’ll have that constant reminder that’s there for you,” Messina said.
But no matter how many reminders we set most resolutions don’t survive- according to Baylor College of Medicine, 88 percent of people who set those resolutions fail by the end of January — why is that?
“I feel like a lot of people get overwhelmed with their solutions,” Messina said.
The science behind it — people don’t think beyond the early stage of the resolution, like eating healthy.
“Just know that you may fall off, but that’s okay," Messina said.
"Each meal is a new meal to eat healthy at the end of that one.'
Plus, a lot of people put too much pressure on themselves to start at the beginning of the year, so here's a reminder —
“It’s never too late to start eating healthy or to start a New Years resolution — any time is the perfect time to start,” Messina said.
