2018 is now upon us and many people start their year setting resolutions, health and fitness being the top resolutions made. I started my year by reflecting back on my accomplishments from 2017 and what I wanted to accomplish in 2018. To be successful, start with the big picture and then break it down into small action items. For example, your big picture may be to lose weight. Think through how you can achieve this into smaller steps with a focus on your behaviors. Brainstorm all of the things you could do (i.e. sit down when I eat my meal, pick one day a week to grocery shop, pack my lunch, do not eat at my desk, focus on when I feel full, etc) and pick 5 that you will work on in the coming year. Focus on each of the items one step at a time to ensure that you make that behavior change stick. Often times we go full throttle into the change that is too ambitious to stick with and we feel like we have "failed." Making small changes and slowly adding on a new one ensures that you will not only be able to sustain it, but will have achieved what you intended.
