I always love the start of a new year. It’s a clean slate after the busy holiday season and a chance to set new goals, and many of those goals revolve around health and wellness. That’s a very good thing, but it’s important to build them on practices that are sustainable. You want healthy habits that become part of your lifestyle, not a quick means to an end.
Start small and build
There’s nothing wrong with starting out with baby steps. You’re more likely to reach your goals when you give yourself the freedom to work your way up, adding to the challenge as you go, rather than biting off more than you can chew and finding you can’t keep up the pace. Working this way lets new practices settle into your routine and become part of your life.
With exercise, some people can jump right back into a rigorous routine and keep it up. For many of us, though, it’s more practical to start small: a walk around the neighborhood a few afternoons a week, a beginner’s yoga class, or a friend’s guest pass at the gym before committing to a year-long membership. Go easy on yourself at first so you don’t set off on something you’ll feel you’ve failed at down the road.
The same goes for food
The same rules apply to eating habits. Change your beliefs and routines carefully and steadily, with lifelong habits in mind. Skip the fad diet to lose holiday weight: it isn’t sustainable, and as soon as you can’t keep it up, you’re right back where you started. Success comes from new habits added gently, with long-term health as the goal (which usually includes that weight loss too). When you’ve truly adapted your lifestyle to a whole food plant-based diet, you can keep it going.
Find your why
Start with your mindset and think about your health goals. Are there medications you’d like to be able to reduce, with your doctor’s guidance? Conditions whose symptoms you’d like to keep at bay? Do you want more energy to keep up with your kids or grandkids? Being clear on why is just as important as how. It’s what keeps you going when temptation creeps in.
Make a plan that fits you
Reflect on past successes and setbacks. What did you do right? Which approaches worked for you, and where did things go wrong? Learning about yourself this way helps you build a plan that sets you up to succeed. Some people change one thing each week; others need to go all in to stay on track. Do it the way that works best for you.
Then think about your eating goals and how to get there. If you eat a lot of processed food, start with one whole food meal a day, or begin with snacks. If you’d like better health or easier weight loss, try cutting added oil: sauté with water, roast on parchment, and make your own oil-free dressings and sauces. Our sauces and dressings and meal prep guide are good places to start.
By making changes each day, week or month, at your own pace, you’ll build healthy habits that become part of your daily routine. Here’s to a healthier you!
New to whole food plant-based eating? My Whole Food Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide walks you through the switch, step by step.
Jennifer Schmidt is a co-founder of One Bite Vegan and has followed a whole food plant-based diet for more than a decade. This article is general information, not medical advice.
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