• Careers
  • Education
  • Research
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search
Close Search
  •   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Location
  • Find A Specialty
  • Schedule An Appointment
  • Pay A Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Mother daughter making food

Turning Resolutions into Reality

Jan 20, 2020 |
By Lauren Hulin, RD
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

Let’s face it, sticking to your New Year’s resolutions can be tough. As you progress through the new year you may still be working towards your resolutions or you may find yourself losing motivation, but if you fall into the second category, the problem may not be you – it might be your goals.

A recent experiment conducted by Inc. Magazine’s Peter Economy used Polly, an artificial intelligence marketing tool, to look at 274,779 New Year’s resolutions gathered over the past four years to project what the top resolutions would be for 2020.

According to Polly the top 10 resolutions are:

1. Actually doing my New Year’s resolution
2. Trying something new
3. Eat more of my favorite foods
4. Lose weight/diet
5. Go to the gym
6. Be happier/better mental health
7. Be healthier
8. Be a better person
9. Upgrade my technology
10. Staying motivated

You may be saying to yourself, “Oh yeah, I would like to do those too!” However, for the most part, these resolutions are too broad.. It is almost overwhelming!

Instead of treating the new year as a “once a year” goal setting time, try to think of each month as a way to start fresh. Choose 1-2 items you want to focus on that month. Then turn your resolutions into reality by putting together specific steps or “to-do” items. This will lead you in the right direction toward meeting your broader goal. These steps don’t have to be anything extravagant, just attainable. Even a small shift in our lifestyle can go a long way.

When the first of the month comes around evaluate how you did with your resolution. Be patient with yourself and continue to work toward making daily action a habit. After evaluating, decide if you would like to add another resolution or continue with the one from the previous month. Below are just a few ways you can make your resolution a reality with the help of small, specific and measurable objectives.

Resolution: “Be healthier”

Reality: I will incorporate 2 cups of non-starchy vegetables into my daily diet.

Resolution: “Go to the gym”

Reality: I will incorporate a 10-minute walk around my neighborhood after dinner 3 times a week.

Resolution: “Be Happier/ Better Mental Health”

Reality: I will start my day with a grateful heart by praying or meditating right when I wake up for 5 minutes. I will focus on the things in my life that I am thankful for.

It’s important that you hold yourself accountable, but if you fail one resolution, it is okay—do not give up. One failure is not overall failure and we are often our own worst critics. Our minds are so powerful that simply believing in yourself can change the outcome. Believe that deep down you will succeed no matter how long it will take you. Love yourself, believe in yourself and keep going. You got this!

Want to make eating healthier a priority? One of our dietitians can help: https://www.ochsner.org/services/nutrition 



Tags
New Year
holiday

You may also be interested in:

Woman walking
Food & Fitness
Jan 11, 2021

Resolutions for the New Year

Keep your healthy New Year's resolutions all year long by starting small and building on your goals, being specific with what you want to achieve, and rewarding yourself along the way.
Budget friendly resolutions exercise vegetarian
Prevention & Wellness
Jan 10, 2021

Budget-Friendly New Year’s Resolutions

Resetting your healthy habits doesn’t have to be too expensive. Here are our suggestions for low-priced or free resolutions to help us meet our annual goals.
Snacks To Go Thumbnail
Food & Fitness
Jul 11, 2017

Healthy Snacks To-Go

Learn about smart food and drink choices while traveling.

Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health Ochsner Health

Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637

Follow us: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Healthy living tips, delivered weekly to your inbox.

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Hello Health Seminars
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

Healthy Living Tips, Delivered Right To Your Inbox

* indicates required


Must Reads
Food and Fitness
Men’s Health
Parenting
Women’s Health

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:


Get Weekly Health Tips

Select the weekly newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition

Let us know where to send your weekly newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox every week.

Ochsner Health System
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide