🎉 Sustainable Changes in the New Year: What Actually Works
Happy New Year! 🌿
January often brings a familiar urge to “do better” with our health: to reset, recommit, or finally get results that have felt out of reach. That’s a great intention!
But this is also the time of year when well-intentioned plans fall apart by February. 😬
So I want to offer something different this year: a practical, compassionate, and evidence-informed approach that actually works in real life.
📊 What Most People Are Aiming For Right Now
Each year, surveys consistently show that the most common New Year health goals revolve around:
Eating better
Moving more
Improving physical health
Losing weight (or changing body composition)
At the same time, research shows that most January goals are abandoned within the first few months, not because people lack discipline, but because the goals are:
Too extreme
Too vague
Disconnected from daily life
This sets people up to feel behind almost immediately.
🚫 Why “All-In” Plans Don’t Work
Here are the facts:
Extreme or vague goals like, “lose 20 pounds this month” set you up to feel behind from Day 1.
Starting in January without preparation (e.g., after a holiday season of indulgence) can make the first weeks harder than they need to be.
Most resolutions fail because they lack structure, habits, and realistic expectations.
So let’s clear up one of the biggest myths that resurfaces every January:
You do not need a special diet or exercise plan to reach your health goals.
Decades of research show that:
Dieting is associated with metabolic slowdown, increased cravings, and loss of lean muscle (and most people regain the weight they lost in 1-5 years)
Unrealistic workout regimens lead to injury and burnout
Consistency is what leads to lasting results
This is not an issue having to do with willpower. It’s a biology + sustainability issue.
When calories are dramatically cut, food groups are eliminated, or routines change overnight, the body (and the mind) interprets this as a threat. Hormones that regulate hunger, fullness, stress, and energy shift in ways that can actually harm your health.
That’s why so many intelligent, motivated people feel like they’ve “failed” over and over, when in reality, the approach was never designed to work.
👉 You need to work with your biology, not against it. And you also need to be patient.
🔁 Why “All-or-Nothing” Backfires
Going all in often looks like:
Cutting out sugar, carbs, alcohol, and “fun foods” all at once
Exercising daily after weeks or months of inconsistency
Trying to overhaul your life during an already demanding season
This usually leads to:
Fatigue and resentment
Increased cravings
Feeling like you’ve “fallen off” at the first imperfect day
And once that happens, many people give up. Not because they’re incapable, but because the plan was unrealistic from the start.
🌱 What Actually Works (And Lasts)
And now for the good news:
Sustainable change does not require restriction, perfection, or extremes.
The strongest evidence we have shows long-term success comes from:
Small, gradual changes
Consistency over intensity
Habits that fit into real life (not just January motivation)
Examples:
Eating slightly more protein and fiber most days
Walking regularly instead of trying to overhaul your entire exercise routine
Supporting sleep and stress (often overlooked, but huge)
Improving blood sugar balance instead of skipping meals
These shifts may feel “too simple,” but over time, they create real metabolic change without burnout.
Think of it less like flipping a switch and more like slowly turning a dimmer knob in the right direction. 💡
📉 Track Progress Differently
Instead of fixating on the scale or a number of reps, try noticing:
How your clothes fit
Your energy throughout the day
Sleep quality
How often you follow through on planned movement
Your mood and overall mental health
These markers are meaningful and motivating, and they tend to improve before the scale does, so you can get some early wins.
✨ A Better Way to Think About “Resolutions”
Instead of asking:
“What diet should I start so I can lose X pounds?”
Try asking:
“What is one habit I could repeat most days this month?”
“What would support my energy instead of draining it?”
“What’s the smallest change that would make the biggest difference?”
These questions lead to changes that last well beyond January.
And rather than aiming for a single metric, what if you set process goals instead of outcome goals?
✔ “I will move my body 4 days a week.”
✔ “I will eat a protein-based breakfast most days.”
✔ “I will track my sleep and aim for 7hrs.”
These are actions you control, and they reliably lead to long-term success.
🤝 How I Can Support You
If improving habits around nutrition, movement, energy, or stress is on your mind this year, my role isn’t to put you on another unsustainable plan.
It’s to help you:
Understand why reaching your goals gets harder as you get older (and what to do about it)
Work with your biology instead of against it so you’re not fighting an uphill battle
Find those “hidden” obstacles keeping you from getting to where you want to be
Build a realistic approach you can sustain — even on busy, imperfect days
Stay accountable to a plan that actually works if you stick with it long enough
👉 If you’d like support creating a personalized, sustainable plan, you can book a free 30-minute consultation call with me. We’ll talk through your goals and map out next steps that actually fit your life.
Let’s make 2026 the year you feel more empowered and healthier with strategies that don’t require perfection. 🙌
