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Only 8% of People Keep New Year’s Resolutions – Here’s What To Do Instead (CNN Clip)

I had the opportunity to give some New Year’s resolution tips on CNN last weekend. Here’s what happened (video below) and the tips that will help you get healthy not just in the new year, but for life!

CNN Vani Hari Food Babe

Resolution Tweaks That Stick

  1. Don’t give up carbs. Going without carbs for life is just crazy and not sustainable – could you imagine not being able to eat a piece of cake ever again? Try going for the best carbs available instead. Think quinoa instead of white rice, steel cut oats instead of processed cereal like Cheerios, and sprouted wheat instead of bleached refined white flour. Choosing the best possible ingredients is a much more sustainable way of life!
  2. Don’t set weight loss goals. Focus less on weight and more on getting healthier for life. If you are drinking or eating things you shouldn’t – linked to obesity, cancer, etc, try replacing those foods with something better. For example, try replacing soda with sparkling water or kombucha that has a natural fizziness to it or your artificially colored and flavored chips with baked homemade ones. Also, you could replace the artificial sweetener in your coffee with organic stevia extract or coconut palm sugar. You don’t have to deprive yourself if you make better choices. 
  3. Instead of a crash or liquid diet, add one organic green drink a day before breakfast or dinner. Chlorophyll rich foods like spinach, kale, and collards blended with fruit or juiced can alleviate cravings because they provide a burst of nutrition that the typical American diet doesn’t get. When your body doesn’t get what it needs nutritionally speaking, cravings continue which lead to weight gain.
  4. Instead of going all out vegan or vegetarian which is hard to do cold turkey, vow to only eat meat that you know the source of and that is not factory farmed. I have a ton of meat-free recipes available here to get you started! When you go to a restaurant to eat, ask about the meat, if they don’t have a sustainable option available go for a vegetarian option. Furthermore, here’s how to dine out GMO free
  5. Instead of doing a radical diet overhaul that will make you feel overwhelmed, try just changing one meal a day, but everyday. For example, instead of your egg and cheese sandwich or bagel for breakfast that you had every day last year, try fruit, oatmeal or one of my green smoothie recipes in the morning. Changing just part of your day will influence other decisions you make about eating and this could be the start to making everlasting changes.
  6. Don’t just say you are going to “exercise more” or “get fit” – Do something every single day that will lead to that result. Develop a habit, routine and schedule it in your day. Everyone should get at least 1 hour a day for wellness. Before work, during a lunch break, or right after work are often great times for this. If you do this at the same time everyday, your body and mind will adapt and it will become easier for you to create a new habit. Focus less on the end result and more the habit forming activity that you like doing.
  7. And when all else fails…. try one of these habits below to start and see if you can make them stick! These habits have stuck with me year after year, making it easier to maintain my weight and a healthy way of life. 

Watch Live CNN Interview Here:

 

If you are struggling with getting a habit to stick, I’d love to hear about it… or maybe you have another tip to share. Please comment below.

Wishing you the best New Year! It is going to be awesome!

Food Babe

P.S. 12/30/2014 UPDATE – Amazon has a 44% discount on my new book THE FOOD BABE WAY right now! Order it here. This book has 21 new habits (or mini resolutions) for you to break free from the toxins in your food, lose weight, and look years younger. Get it sent straight to your doorstep on Feb. 10th so you are ready to start this plan on the first day of its release!

 

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98 responses to “Only 8% of People Keep New Year’s Resolutions – Here’s What To Do Instead (CNN Clip)

  1. I’d like to know what things are good or bad for people who have had their gallbladder removed. Some things we eat can really mess us up, big time! I keep reading about lots of things I would like to try, but even flax seed can send me over the edge. We need a no gallbladder guide!

    1. I agree totally! I avoid fats, of course, but some things still send my digestive system for a spin!

    2. No gall bladder means you’re not digesting fats and fat-soluable vitamins. There is only one thing you can do: Standard Process bile salts supplement, Cholacol Tablets (do not confuse them with their Cholacol II product). Without the bile salt supplementation which they combine with collinsonia root, your heart and your endocrine system will become weakened. You must take them every day with every meal. Find a practitioner who is trained in Standard Process and get yourself on Cholacol ASAP. http://www.standardprocess.com is their website.

    3. THANK YOU for talking about the “gallbladder issue.” Joe and I have been BIG BELIEVERS AND FANS of Food Babe and what she and her team stand for! But unfortunately I have the gallbladder issue. Just want to thank you for bringing it up. 🙂

  2. I love your suggestions on how to make goals sustainable and attainable through small healthy choices. I also appreciate your clever approach in the media to exposing companies that are harming people with their products. You are making an impact. Keep up the great work

  3. I am a new follower of Foodbabe, and loving all the great information. Can you be more specific regarding your suggestion of “fast every day”. How long?

    1. First try a minimum of 12 hours per day and go from there. Fasting is when the body starts a phase in which it begins to use stored fuel. Which by the way, a majority of Americans have for sure. If it’s one thing we have an abundance of, it’s stored fuel. Again, a minimum of 12 hours (schedule it out) out of your 24 hour day. I for example do 14-16 hours (usually). I choose to eat all my caloric intake from 12-7 or 10-8 with more time in between meals/smoothies etc.

      1. I forgot to add. Make sure you are staying hydrated of course when not eating meals. And if you are an active adult, like myself, I include a great BCAA on those mornings I do my activity ( swimmer/runner/ advanced movement specialist)

    2. One way of looking at fasting is to not eat after dinner until noon the next day. That is; eat dinner at 7 pm, then skip breakfast and eat a good healthy lunch around 11 am – noon time. If you can’t make it that long, delay breakfast until 9 or 10 am. If you make it to 9 am, that’s 14 hours. Then just drink a smoothie and maybe have a hard boiled egg. That way system is “clear” and the protein will be metabolized more efficiently.

      I do that once or twice week, and find that I don’t have the blood sugar swings and can be really productive in the morning. It’s also easier because you basically are fasting since dinner, only it’s while you are asleep 🙂

  4. I need to learn to more effectively manage stress. My ability to empathize with others has always been something that I have prided myself on and as a dramatic writer, it has helped me inhabit the characters I write as I draw on past conversations and relationships to write dramatic situations.
    For the past several years however, a series of personal setbacks (including health) and family tragedies have left me in a seeming state of lurching from one stressor to the next.
    I’ve been something of an effective listener, and the family caregiver and protector and dutiful daughter, sister, etc and I feel as if it has put distance between me and achieving my personal, professional goals another thing that stresses me out.
    Exercise has helped to a certain extant, eating healthily and trying to get enough sleep and finding humor where I can but I struggle to find a way to break free of this steady weight on my shoulder and focus on living the life I feel I was always meant to live.
    A lofty goal, I know, so my immediate goal is to better manage/alleviate my stress level.

    1. It’s well worth reading “Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome” by Michael Lam, MD. It’s a very informative discussion of stress, the damage it causes, and how to recover.

      1. You know, I have heard of that book. I will put it at the top of my reading list perhaps there are some manageable suggestions I can incorporate. Thanks Barbara.

  5. I believe: If you are going to set resolutions for yourself, make them small and give yourself a deadline. Don’t you dare resolve to swim across the Atlantic Ocean in March if you really can only do the doggy paddle, or don’t decide that you are going to hike the entire Inca trail in a month if you live at sea level and only exercise for 30 minutes a week. Instead, create doable resolutions such as, increasing your activity from 30 minutes a week to 150 minutes a week. Or try a new exercise class once a month or even make the resolution of just trying a new vegetable every week. These types of resolutions are far more attainable than believing you will be able to cross riding a whale in the Arctic Ocean off your resolution list come December 31, 2014.

  6. You look beautiful in this interview! If you don’t mind, what make-up do you use? So many cosmetics these days are loaded with crud that isn’t good for us and can be just as much of a problem as the nasty stuff in the food(s). Wondering if you would share your beauty secret too?

  7. Bravo, Vani! That is so exciting that you were on CNN. Keep up the good work. I am so thrilled that you found your calling because THINK of ALL the lives your affecting (including mine.) So, thank you.

    And great ideas. Subtle shifts = the way to go.

    xo

  8. Wow, thanks for the advice girl. I also wanted to congratulate you. You have done so much, and I am excited for what you will do next. Thank you for your determination and love.

  9. These are fantastic tips to help keep your resolutions and join the 8% this year!

    As a psychologist, I’ve found that one of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a new resolution is underestimating or not even considering the downside of the choices you’re making. I wrote about it on my blog and linked back to your tips so everyone can take advantage of your resolution tweaks – http://www.erinolivo.com/good-bad-ugly-downside-change/

    Thanks!

  10. Hello Vani,
    Thank you for your help.  I love all your emails!
    I wanted to ask you a question,  I hope it gets to you soon.
    Im trying to find out more about olive oil.  I sometimes buy any brand. Do
    you know anything about it?
    By the way, I forwarded this email to all my friends!
    Thank you,

  11. Of course you should have fun!
    You’re smart – You’re beautiful – and You’re HEALTHY!!!!
    Ignore the nay sayers. They’re all just envious!!!!!!!!

  12. I lost 25-30 pounds the last 2 & 1/2 years primarily by giving up American hybrid wheat, not by dieting, although I do reduce sugar & get my sweets from stevia or molasses, dark brown sugar, and dry fruits which have minerals that help stabilize the sugar burn. Europa can’t grow American wheat because it is addicting & the old world wheat’s are not as bad for your health. Not a New Year resolution, but it just happened Lady! Keep up the good work!!!!

  13. I like your line…can you imagine never eating a piece of cake again?? I have reactive hypoglycemia and haven’t had cake or anything else in 30 years. It’s possible if it makes you sick. Keep up the good work in 2015!!

  14. your resolution lifestyle suggestions are excellent. as a professional health educator, i appreciate their common sense and simple approach. thank you, vani ~ for all of your hard work on behalf of all who consume food. p.s. i will be having fun, too..

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