Written by: Nicole Pazdziorko, RDN, LDN, Food City Dietitian

It’s hard to believe that another year is in the books and we will soon be ringing in 2023. For many people, the New Year is a time for reflection over the past months and a time to reorient our priorities. Oftentimes, this comes in the form of a resolution to exercise more, improve eating behaviors or kick an undesirable habit. Unfortunately, it’s estimated that a mere 9% of resolutioners follow through with their goals, and approximately 80% let go of their goal just a few weeks into the new year.

If you have goals for the new year, try the following tips to transform your resolutions into habits that stick.

Create SMART goals and write them down. Avoid making goals that are too vague, and instead make your goal Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-oriented. For example, “I will pack my lunch instead of buying fast food 2 days per week.”

Enlist support. This could be a friend or family member to cheer you on and be an accountability partner. Share your goals with them and let them know how they can support you along the way.

Make it convenient. Lasting change is largely dependent on environment – not willpower - so it’s essential to utilize the tools at your disposal that make your environment conducive to the behaviors you want to change. Time saving solutions can help you reach your goals in the new year:

Go Cart: Utilize Go Cart curbside grocery pick up to save you time with grocery shopping. Shop online from anywhere at any time and have your items available for pick up in a few hours.

ShortCuts: Prioritize convenience by purchasing washed and prepped produce and keep front and center in your refrigerator so they are ready to go. Food City’s ShortCuts ranging from snack cups to soup starters or stir fry make it easy to get a nutrient dense meal on the table quickly. 

Pick Well: Skip the fad diets this year and instead focus on making changes that you can adhere to all year long. Focus on incorporating more nutrient dense foods int your eating plan, by looking for Dietitian’s Pick, Heart Health, No Added Sugar and Low Sodium tags when shoopping at Food City.

Avoid all-or-nothing thinking. When making lifestyle changes, resist the temptation to overhaul everything at once, and instead focus on small habits that you can sustain and build upon. Instead of being deterred by inevitable setbacks or slip ups, celebrate the progress you’ve made so far, adjust if needed and keep going!