January brings with it excitement and anticipation for the new year….and for a lot of people the desire to set a New Year’s resolution. A recent poll by Forbes Health/OnePoll in October 2023 found that the top five projected resolutions for 2024 are:
- Improved fitness
- Improved finances
- Better mental health
- Weight loss
- Healthier diet
These resolutions, while well-intended, often lead to added stress and guilt. Better health is not something that can be built in just a few months and instead requires adapting behaviors that are enjoyable and last for a lifetime. A recent estimate indicates that 22% of people are sticking to their resolution at the three-month mark and only 6% have maintained for longer than 12 months. The problem is not one of willpower or laziness but is often rooted in beginning with the wrong goal and having no roadmap for getting to the desired destination.
Let’s take the resolution to eat “healthier” in the new year for example. What does “healthier” mean? That term can mean a multitude of different things to different people and be measured in just as many ways. For some, that may mean eating no fast food or only eating organic products. But for most people, it leads to unrealistic expectations that may be impossible to maintain due to time or budgetary constraints. Revamping your resolution to a SMART goal is the first step to setting you up for lasting success. “SMART” is an acronym for goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-oriented.
Let’s look at that same goal of “healthier eating” but make it SMART.
During the month of January, I will eat a homemade breakfast each weekday.
This is an example of a short-term goal for the month of January (time-oriented) that is very specific (homemade breakfast), measurable, achievable, and realistic (each weekday).
Once a good goal has been set, the next step is the action plan or what I like to call the roadmap to success. In the above example, we need a plan for how those homemade breakfasts can be achieved in a hectic morning routine. For me, that means having a few grab-and-go options in the fridge and a few made-ahead choices. My favorite grab-and-go is yogurt and a piece of hand fruit like an apple, banana, or orange because it checks all my necessary boxes: easy, inexpensive, and balanced with protein and fiber.
Overnight oats are one of my favorite make-ahead recipes because I can prep once and have food for several days. Overnight oats are also a great way to add in variety by swapping out the mix-ins in the basic recipe. They can be enjoyed cold, straight out of the fridge, or emptied into a bowl and warmed up.
Basic Overnight Oats
For each serving, add the following ingredients to a small jar:
- ¾ cup milk of choice
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons of the mix-in of your choice (nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, chocolate chips, etc).
Place the lid on the jar and shake to combine. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy over the next 1-3 days. I like to top mine with blueberry chia jam.
Blueberry Chia Jam
- 3 cups frozen blueberries
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup chia seeds
Add all ingredients except the chia seeds to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring very frequently. Add 1-2 teaspoons of water at a time to prevent blueberries from sticking. As the blueberries start to pop, use a fork or potato masher to help them along. Cook for 3-5 more minutes and add chia seeds. Cook over low heat for 5-10 additional minutes, stirring frequently.
This is delicious stirred into overnight oats or layered in a yogurt parfait.
