New year, new me right?

By guest blog writer Marissa Sharkey, Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach 

Nope!

Did you know that 80-90% of new year's resolutions are abandoned by February? 

That’s too high of a fail rate. I’m going to tell you a secret…I’m a Dietitian and I hate New Year’s Resolutions. 

I don’t like them for a variety of reasons but here are a few: 

1. You can start your goals at any point in the year. You don’t need a new year to “start fresh”. This limiting mindset can delay many peoples’ transformations or hitting their goals. 

2. Resolutions typically fail because they are either unrealistic, too drastic or large to begin with, set too many at once, are too challenging and/or they’re not relevant to the person. This is where personal values can come into play. 

3. It puts a ton of unnecessary pressure on yourself and when it fails, you end up disappointed in yourself which is counterproductive. 

4. People may not sit down and truly try to understand their “why” when it comes to making a resolution. They end up giving it up because they don’t have that “why” to keep them going and it no longer aligns with them. 

5. They are sometimes set from a negative side of thinking. These resolutions typically involve getting away from something not towards something (such as losing weight because you don’t like how your body looks). 

It’s not that I don’t believe in making positive changes, it’s that we need to be realistic with ourselves, come up with a plan that includes small, achievable steps and find a method that works for you. Small, achievable goals for lifestyle changes are going to set you up to succeed and gain confidence to go after more challenging goals. 

Instead, I prefer intentional value based goal setting. This process is more aligned with a person’s values, beliefs and desires. 

So how do you practice this?

First, you can create these goals (or intentions) by sitting down with yourself and reflecting on what is important to you. Then, from there create small achievable steps to make that plan work. Start with one goal at a time so as to not overwhelm yourself and use the “SMART” method when making a goal’s action plan. 

SMART stands for: 

S - Specific: What is your game plan to get to your goal? What steps do you need to take? What will you need to accomplish this? 

M - Measurable: How will you know you’re making progress or completed the goal?

A - Achievable: Is it a realistic goal or do you need to reassess? Do you have what you need to accomplish it? 

R - Relevant: Does it have a purpose for you to achieve this goal? Is it what you truly desire? 

T - Time Bound: What time frame do you want to accomplish this goal? 

In addition, accountability is valuable to keeping you motivated and consistent. Some ways to stay accountable include but aren’t limited to working with a Registered Dietitian, signing up for a paid group class, enlisting a friend as an accountability partner, creating a reward system, using a habit tracking app or calendar, or something else depending on what that goal is! 

In my NURSE Nutrition Support Academy Program, as a Registered Dietitian who coaches nurses we work collaboratively to set small, achievable goals so their health habits they’re implementing remain consistent, balanced and sustainable. As your accountability partner, during our 1:1 virtual sessions, we will strategize solutions to your struggles and celebrate your wins together. I will always encourage, support and hold space for you during the process. My nurses understand they have complete autonomy and are able to feel empowered to take control of their health while being supported to do so. I truly enjoy helping nurses finally achieve balance with their food choices so they can feel confident in their scrubs and consistently have energy for their shifts. 

With 2024 around the corner, set intentional goals instead of getting on the New Year’s Resolution bandwagon. You’ll thank yourself later.

Marissa Sharkey, RD

Want to connect with Marissa Sharkey Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach? Visit The Supported Nurse site for more information or email at support@marissasharkeynutrition.com

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