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New Year Goals vs Resolutions How to Make Lasting Change

New Year, New You: Goals vs. Resolutions

Every new year brings a fresh sense of possibility. Many of us begin January with a long list of resolutions and the hopeful thought that “this year will be different.” Yet, after a few weeks or months, those resolutions can feel overwhelming, vague, or easy to set aside. That is why I am choosing to focus on goals instead of resolutions.

Resolutions often express what we want to change, but goals help us decide how we are actually going to make those changes happen. As I think about my Trim Healthy Mama journey and what I want to accomplish in 2018, I want to set goals that are realistic, actionable, and rooted in daily choices. Let’s look at the difference between resolutions and goals, and how we can use both in a healthier, more intentional way.

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What Is a Resolution?

According to Dictionary.com, a resolution is:

  • The act of resolving or deciding on an action, course of action, method, or procedure.
  • A firm decision or determination to do something.

What Is a Goal?

A goal is:

  • The result or achievement toward which effort is directed.

What Does This Have to Do With My Trim Healthy Mama Journey?

Many of us have made a resolution to follow a Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle. That resolution may sound simple, but the daily follow-through is where real progress happens.

So the better question becomes: what goals have you set that will help make that resolution a reality?

Too often, we begin with good intentions but without a clear plan. When that happens, it is easy to feel discouraged and start asking hard questions.

Why Is This So “Hard”?

One of the most helpful lessons I have learned over the past few years is that Trim Healthy Mama is often only as hard as I make it. That does not mean the journey is always easy, but it does mean I have choices. I can choose my level of “hard” each day, and so can you.

Every day, I make choices such as:

  • Will I eat on plan today or not?

  • Will I use special ingredients, or will I keep my meals simple?

  • Will I find joy in caring for my health, both physically and mentally? Attitude and perspective matter.

  • Will I read my plan book and participate in the New Year, New You: A Trim Healthy Mama Book Study?

Goal #1: Have a positive attitude and choose my hard daily.

Goal #2: Mindfully read my Trim Healthy Mama Plan Book.

What Am I Doing Wrong?

Sometimes we assume we are doing everything wrong when we may actually be doing many things right. Often, what we need is not a total restart but a small adjustment. That is one of the beautiful things about Trim Healthy Mama: it can be personal and flexible while still following the principles of the plan.

Reading your Trim Healthy Mama Plan Book or returning to your notes can help answer important questions. Before assuming the plan is not working, it helps to slow down and ask:

  • Am I building my meals correctly?

  • Is my timing off?

  • Am I fuel stacking?

  • Do I need to be more mindful of dairy, frankenfoods, or other foods that may affect my progress?

Goal #3: Mindfully follow the plan as it is designed.

Why Is She Having Better Results Than I Am?

This is a question I personally struggle with at times. It is easy to compare my progress with someone else’s and feel frustrated. But I have to remind myself that comparison is the thief of joy. Someone else’s journey is not the measuring stick for mine.

Instead of comparing, I want to honestly look at how I am working the plan and ask myself:

  • Am I following the plan as well as I should be?

  • Do I have health issues or habits that may be slowing my progress?

  • Am I exercising in a way that supports my health?

  • Is stress creeping in where it does not belong?

Goal #4: Love myself enough to accept who I am and where I am right now.

What Are Your Goals for 2018?

We are all a work in progress. As we move into a new year, we can lean into faith, trusting that God will strengthen us daily. We can also remember that we have been wonderfully made and are dearly loved. Setting goals instead of vague resolutions gives us a practical path forward, one choice and one day at a time.

More Personal THM Goals for 2018

  • Use my Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook and Trim Healthy Table for meal planning.
  • Find my groove with the THM Work Ins and this Praise Moves DVD.
  • Use the kitchen tools I already have, such as my Instant Pot Duo60 and Brio 3qt Air Fryer.