3 Simple Steps To Make Healthy Resolutions You'll Keep

While it's easy to make New Year's resolutions such as "lose weight" or "get more sleep," it can be hard to keep them. This year try designing a series of simple and achievable resolutions that you can focus on over the course of the entire year.

To craft successful resolutions, make sure they have three simple characteristics—make sure they are:

• Specific
• Attainable (doable)
• Forgiving (less than perfect)

For example, "be more physically active" is a great resolution. But it's not specific.

• "Walk 5 miles every day" is specific and measurable. But it may not be doable if you're just starting out.
• "Walk 30 minutes every day." This resolution is specific and it's more doable. But what happens if you're held up at work one day and there's a thunderstorm during your walking time another day? Thus this resolution is not forgiving.
• "Walk 30 minutes, 3 or more days each week." This resolution is specific, doable, and forgiving. In short, it's just right!

6 New Year's Resolutions To Try

Here are examples of healthy resolutions that are specific, attainable, and forgiving. Choose from this list, or make your own resolutions and share them on our Facebook page. Remember, the best New Year's resolutions are the ones you will keep!

1. Have a meatless dinner 1 day a week.
2. Try a new grain once a month.
   Here are some grains you may not know about, and some heart healthy recipes to try.
   • Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah): Quinoa-Stuffed Tomatoes (shown)
   • Orzo: Roasted Red Pepper and Toasted Orzo
   • Couscous: Orange Couscous With Almonds, Raisins, and Mint
3. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier 2 nights a week.
   
4. Try a new heart healthy substitution each week.
   Substitution suggestions:
   • Low-fat or fat-free milk instead of whole milk.
   • Plain, low-fat yogurt or fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream.
   • Reduced- or low-fat cheese instead of regular cheese.
   • Whole-grain pasta instead of regular pasta.
   • Brown rice instead of white rice.
   • 100 percent whole-grain bread instead of white bread.
   • A hearty bean soup instead of stew.
   • Broiled or baked fish instead of other meats.
   • Extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey instead of regular ground beef.
5. Take a family walk after dinner 1 day a week.
6. Turn off the TV during meals 3 days a week.

Learn more about how to achieve and reward New Year's resolutions for weight loss.

Explore the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award: Activity + Nutrition (PALA+).

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