One thing that I love about a new year is a chance to start fresh. After a month of big dinners, holiday cookies, and cocktail parties your body starts to really crave a food re-set. I think instead of seeing the New Year as a chance to wipe the slate clean, it's smarter to take steps that will slowly change the picture.

get smart

How can you do this? Set S.M.A.R.T goals.

Make goals..
Specific. What do you want to accomplish?
Measurable. How will you know when you have accomplished your goal?
Attainable. How can the goal be accomplished?
Realistic. Can the goal realistically be accomplished?
Timely. When will you accomplish it by?

strategize

First of all, good for you for taking the initiative to improve your health! Changing something as big a part of your life as what you eat is easier said then done. When you are ready to make those diet/lifestyle changes here are 5 simple strategies to help set you up for success.

1. Build a routine
Before making any changes to your diet, regulate your eating pattern. Aim to eat food in the same portion size at the same time of day. Try to eat every 2-4 hours to help keep hunger at bay, or break larger meals into two smaller portions and spread them throughout the day. This will make sure you avoid becoming too hungry and overeating, and can help you avoid digestion issues as well.  Establishing a solid routine will set you up for the next strategy: consistency.

2. Keep it consistent
What good is it to go vegan for a week, or do a juice cleanse for 24 hours if you revert back to your old ways immediately after? To make lasting changes, you need to make healthy practices a habit. Eventually these habits will become second-nature, and reaching for water instead of soda, or carrots instead of potato chips will become the rule not the exception. If you have multiple goals you want to tackle, list them according to priority and start with the first one. Work the first healthy habit into your routine, and build up from there.

3. Add, Don't Subtract
Often, the more we focus on what we can't have or are cutting out, the more we crave it. Restriction can lead to failure. Instead, try to do more of the activities/practices that make you feel good. Do yoga once a week? Try increasing your practice to 2 times a week. Have trouble staying hydrated? Aim to add in an extra glass of water each day. Adding in more positive behaviors will leave less time for the negative ones.

4. Be prepared
A lot of the time unhealthy choices stem from lack of option or desperation. You're starving on your way home from work and grab chips from the gas station, you attend a catered meeting and end up settling for a soggy pre-made sandwich. These moments are part of everyday life, and planning ahead will save you. Have a few emergency snacks stashed in your car, like nuts or granola bars for those "hangry" moments. Prepare your breakfast and pack your lunch the night before, so you will be less tempted to eat out or grab something on the run. 

5. Ask For Help
Sometimes some extra support is what you need to give you that final push to make a change. It can be smart to seek support from an outside source to keep you accountable. Turning to experts like dietitians, coaches, therapists, or even a friend, that can help you plan strategies to make you successful is a great way to jump-start change. Getting an outside perspective can help you identify any internal or external barriers that have prevented you from being successful in the past. There may be an initial cost, but you can learn skills that will last a lifetime. Invest in YOU. 

Keep these 5 strategies in mind as you set wellness goals for yourself in 2017.

Here's to your happiest and healthiest year yet!