Attention all New Year’s Resolution-ers: Put down your celery juice and step away from the cardboard you call “cereal.”

By now, many of us have resolved to get healthier- we’ve researched the latest dieting trends, purged our house of junk food, and perhaps even joined a gym. Just like last year, we are initially determined to make 2016 our year! Usually, all seems to go well until (Dun-dun-dun) you come face-to-face with your favorite chocolate chip cookies (Uh-oh). So the story goes, we succumb to the little devils and are left feeling we have wasted our will-power on an unobtainable health dream. Like last year, sometime before March, we’ll decide that this year isn’t going to be our year.

Stop right now!! It’s not you, it’s your New Year’s goals. Here’s why your goals are failing you:

  1. You want quick results. The Tortoise and the Hare taught us that slow and steady wins the race. In today’s world of instant gratification, we struggle with the concept that slower could possibly be better. Juice fasts, carbohydrate-free diets, pills, and other extreme methods for weight loss are quick, but also dangerous for our body and mind. On the other hand, a well-balanced diet promotes health of mind, body, and sprit.
  2. You overlook the Good. Food can and should be both good for our health AND simply good– unapologetically delicious. One without the other is a recipe for disaster.
  3. You keep jumping on latest-trend bandwagon. One of the biggest blessings of current technology is the quick access to libraries upon libraries of information. However, we also have instant access to lots of misinformation as well. News articles such as, “Bacon is Back” and “Kale is Killing You,” are misleading and misinterpretations of scientific research. Eliminating green leafy vegetables and chowing down on bacon will NOT better your health. Know that in the self-proclaimed “Health Industry,” there is always going to be a new fad. Be sure to read the research or talk to a registered dietitian to be sure if the article is fact or fiction.
  4. You don’t want to cook. If you hope to lose weight this year, this is one shortcut that shouldn’t be made! Cooking is the best way to ensure quality meals for you and for your family. Pre-packaged meals and snacks are much higher in added sugars, fat, and sodium than what you would prepare yourself. Cooking is also a wonderful opportunity to teach your family the importance of a healthy diet.

Truly, the post-holiday need to hit the dietary reset button is real. However, rather than depriving your body through radical dieting, the best way to start afresh is to start incorporating nourishing foods. A steady stream of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and proteins is the best way to start your “new year-new you” campaign.

Reassess your New Year’s health goals to be sure you are on the path to success.  2016 is your year!

If you’re looking for a moment to start making your New Year’s resolutions a reality, start here— Winter Kale Salad.  This salad so sweet and delicious you wont even know it’s kale!