A New Year to Make Healthy Choices

Here we are in January, a month to refocus and renew. 365 unfilled days stretch ahead and what we do with them is entirely up to us. It’s a nice thought anyway.

I wonder if you are among the millions who woke up on New Year’s Day and said, “This is the year I finally get healthy, the year I really do shed those pesky pounds.” Did you lace up those walking shoes that have been collecting dust in the back of the closet? Did you choose something loaded with fiber and protein for breakfast? Maybe you and your new resolve stumbled into the kitchen and on your way to the coffee pot somehow managed to drain half a bottle of flat Champagne and polish off the last of the Christmas cookies. It happens.

Sure, there are better choices that could have been made on the way to the coffee pot. Sticking to our resolutions is not about tallying the times we take our eyes off the prize. Becoming a healthier person doesn’t happen because one day we do absolutely everything we ought to. I am a firm believer that we all get to make new choices and change direction on a daily basis. Often the choices are made moment by moment.

Let’s pick up the story and put some different choices into action.

So, you are standing in the kitchen, coffee-less, licking the final cookie crumbs from your finger. I bet you are thinking about how you just screwed up your chance to make this the healthiest year ever. The phone rings with an invitation to brunch. Go to brunch – cloistering yourself is not a good way to cultivate sustainable healthy habits. At brunch you get to make a new choice. Order the Denver Omelet you love, but ask for it with egg whites, a “teeny-tiny” bit of cheese, and opt for fruit instead of hash browns. You had your Champagne fix while still wearing your bathrobe, so skip the mimosa and enjoy some light and crisp sparkling water with lime.

Now, how does that feel? Hopefully, not bad. Choices like that breakfast swap are how I, slowly but surely, shed 145 pounds over 3 1/2 years. The details are more involved but ultimately my weight loss was based on planning my next healthy food choice. By making a solid plan and thinking ahead about what I would say or do in food situations I felt uplifted and empowered throughout my weight loss journey.

In my experience, having a plan for socializing and eating out was tremendously helpful. At home I slowly changed the foods in the pantry to help me make better eating choices. I feel that it is really important to reiterate that this was a slow, purposeful change. One of the most important parts of cultivating a lasting life change was to take things slowly. I started reading the labels on packages to better understand the food I was eating. I measured foods to begin to learn what a healthy portion looks like. I bought smaller bowls for our cereal. In the morning we use a food scale and measure both the cereal and milk we are going to consume. It is less rigid in practice than it reads. Also the “we” includes my husband, we are on this journey together. He lost over 170 pounds during the same 3 1/2 year period.

As I grew comfortable with my new routines, my self confidence grew and the future looked bright. It sounds strange but I really did eat myself thin. We aren’t talking cottage cheese and steamed chicken breast here. As my portions size decreased, I resolved not to waste a mouthful on bland or boring food. Learning how to replace added fat and sugar with spices, fruits, and wonderful whole foods has brought me joy (and smaller clothes).

The plate of Christmas cookies you started the day with? Well, you ate them. Forgive yourself for your misstep and move on. The good news is they are gone. Acknowledge that you have only just begun your journey and smile because you have identified an area for improvement. Beating ourselves up for falling short is not at all productive. This year, take each day as it comes. The past may be what got us to this moment but the future can be what we make of it. Embrace each chance you have to make a healthier choice. Treat yourself with care and kindness. Never eat boring food. Make next year’s resolution to simply, stay the course.

Photo by The Stitcherati

In August of 2008 Rose McAvoy began a journey to lose weight. Now, more than four years later she has shed over 140 pounds and life has changed in ways she never imagined. She began writing to share her journey with others, over at Our Lady of Second Helpings. She hopes to provide kernels of inspiration and motivation for anyone searching for ways to become healthier and happier in their own skin. In her experience, it is a combination of many small choices that add up to major change and a new lease on life.