Happy New Year! 

The New Year is a time for reflection and transformation. Beginning this new chapter of your life, what are some of the habits that you want to set in motion, improve upon, or abandon?

According to Forbes, nearly 40% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, while only 8% successfully follow through with them. They claim the key to successful resolutions lies in the ability to:

A.     Keep it simple

B.     Make it tangible

C.     Make it obvious

D.     Keep believing you can do it!

Two of the most popular New Year’s resolutions in the United States include losing weight and staying fit and healthy. If either of those objectives are at the top of your list for 2015, the Whole Grains Council is here to help you fulfill those goals! Using the Forbes success list, let’s think about how adding different delicious, nutritious whole grains to your diet can help you achieve a happier, healthier you in 2015!

Keep it Simple. You don’t necessarily have to make a life-altering, all-or-nothing change to your diet. Making small changes, such as choosing the whole grain wrap over white or picking up whole wheat pasta instead of refined, can make a difference. Aim to make at least half of your grains whole grains, or to make it simpler – just include some form of whole grains in every meal!

Make it Tangible. Set clear and specific targets. Think, “I’m going to include a serving of whole grains at breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day” instead of “I’m going to try buying more whole grains”.  The more specific you are, the easier it will be to visualize and attain. Bonus: an easy way to make sure you get those grains is to cook up a big batch of grains at the beginning of the week to have on hand (they’ll stay good for about a week in the fridge and most even freeze well!)

Make it Obvious. This one I can speak to personally – it really works! Make your objectives visible. Write an actual list of your resolutions and post it up somewhere you’ll see it everyday. You could create a “vision board” (physical or virtual) with awesome whole grain recipes, or post your goals up on social media to keep you accountable. It is far more motivating when you tell others about your ambitions than when you keep them to yourself. Not only does it keep you accountable, but you can enjoy the added benefit of the support you receive from friends and family (you may even inspire others) – and that support may come in handy next time you’re trying to decide between menu items!

Keep Believing in Yourself. This may be the most difficult, as Forbes says that of the 54% of people who abandon their resolutions within 6 months, the majority note lack of willpower as their downfall. However, you may have heard the saying, “willpower is a muscle — the more you train it, the stronger it gets”. According to Psychology Today, this is true! You don’t just find willpower, you create it. Start with those small successes like ordering the brown rice sushi or whole grain pizza crust next time you go out to eat. The more you make those easy choices, the more automatic it will become.

I like to think of this resolution as eating, and not dieting. (There’s something about the “D” word that just never works – it’s said that 95% of people who “go on a diet” will gain their weight back!) Oldways and the Whole Grains Council are all about helping people create healthier routines for life by improving they way they eat, not putting them on a “diet”.  So turn that “I wish” into “I will” and get ready to kick off a healthier, whole-grain-filled life for 2015 and beyond!

Do you have any helpful tips on how to get more whole grains on your plate in the new year? We’d love to hear about them in the comments section below! (Harley)