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An alternative to setting unrealistic resolutions in the new year

Every end-of-year, the topic of resolutions comes up, as does  the topic of resolutions quickly fading into obscurity within weeks of being made.

The Huffington Post suggests a different approach from the traditional resolution setting, which most typically are aimed at improving one’s health, like losing weight or hitting the gym, and are extreme in that they require a massive change in behavior.

Overly ambitious resolutions require a change in habits and a firm decision and if those to attributes don’t doom it from the outset, the start date and deadline that so often accompany resolutions certainly do.

Dr. Roberta Anding, a registered dietician and nutrition professor at Baylor College of Medicine, suggested to the Huffington Post that a better approach is to view the New Year as the chance for a “reset.”  

Instead of drastic life changes that resolutions require, resets provide an opportunity to start over, and set one’s habits differently. And with resets, you commit to moderate, realistic goals and making small changes every day, not just the first day of the year.

“January 1 signifies a new beginning. However, each day allows for a new beginning, and hence it is a reset,” Anding said. “If your goal is eating more fruits and vegetables, you can reset this goal every day. If you didn’t achieve this goal, you can re-evaluate every day.”