5 Diet Resolutions for New Year

Why overhaul your diet in a day when you can take small steps over time - and still reach your diet goals!

Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on October 28, 2010
Written by Wendy C. Fries
3 min read

Are you making bold resolutions on January 1 to "eat right" -- whatever that means? Stop trying to overhaul your entire diet in a day! Resolve to think small and you can reach any diet goal -- one focused step at a time. Why not start with these simple tips?

Resolving to get more fiber in your diet this year? Maybe more fish or fresh fruit? Any diet change is easier if you take slow, small steps. For example:

  1. Vow to add a piece of produce to your brown bag lunch daily.
  2. Designate a day as fish day.
  3. Package up a single serving of your favorite whole-grain cereal, then treat it as your midmorning snack.

Water: It's cheap, fat-free, and gives your body a quenching boost. Find the idea of eight cups a day daunting? Think small:

  1. Drink one glass first thing in the morning, before you brush your teeth.
  2. Tempted by more soda? Another glass of wine? Drink a cup of water with a splash of your favorite beverage in it first.
  3. Resolve to drink one more cup of water today than you had yesterday.

Colorful produce is packed with disease-fighting plant compounds, so when you shop, reach for a rainbow.

  1. Designate a color-a-day. Maybe Mondays are yellow, with grapefruit, golden apples, or corn starring in meals, while Tuesdays are purple with plum and eggplant.
  2. Get the kids involved and go for a theme: Build a green pizza with emerald bell peppers and artichokes, or a red produce-infused chili.
  3. Vary the rainbow -- pick up a new-to-you fruit or veggie the next time you shop.

You're chatting with friends around the dinner table or watching a DVD -- and you just keep nibbling. Try these tips to reign in the munchies:

  1. Pop a stick of gum or a sugar-free mint in your mouth.
  2. Brush or floss your teeth.
  3. Pay attention -- look at each piece of food you plan to eat.
  4. Busy your hands with a glass of water, a cup of tea, or cleaning off the table.

Don't forget to help yourself succeed, and to reach out for help when you need it.

  1. Buddy up with a friend or family member with diet and weight loss resolutions. Then share your ideas, plans, and successes regularly.
  2. Leave the temptations -- ice cream, chips, soda -- at the grocery store. Promise yourself you'll cater to cravings only outside the home, in one-serving portions.
  3. Socialize with non-food events. Get your friends together in the park, for a hike, or at the movies.

Prevention: It's a lot less daunting than treating a chronic condition, so do the little things that keep your body thriving.

  1. Get moving 30 minutes a day most days. Go for a walk, give the car a good scrub, take a hike. Whatever gets the blood pumping qualifies!
  2. Get those tests you know you need. Cholesterol checks, prostate exams, pap smears -- stay ahead of the game by staying healthy.
  3. Get all the snooze-time you need. Sleep helps body and soul recharge, stay healthy, and cope with stress.

Take enough steps and you'll reach any goal. Resolve to make a few small diet resolutions this year and then just watch how far you'll go!