The New Year has arrived. Whether 2018 has snuck up on you or you're embracing it with open arms many of us take the opportunity to use the new calendar year to assess where we're at health wise and make new wellness goals for the coming months.

New Year's resolutions can be a daunting task and its easy to feel overwhelmed and anxious if your list of goals is as long as your holiday shopping list. However, with wellness goals, like any goals you set for yourself, a little fine tuning and planning can go a long way to ensuring a greater chance at success.

At Amandean we love the energy and perspective a new year brings and we've taken it upon ourselves to offer up some solid resolution hacks to help you out. Whether you're trying to shed a few holiday pounds or want to develop a new health regimen for the long-term we're certain these tips will be useful.

Let's start here!

1. Start Small & Realistic

Setting small, attainable goals throughout the year, instead of a singular, overwhelming goal on January 1 can help you reach whatever it is you strive for. By making your resolutions realistic, there is a greater chance that you will keep them throughout the year, incorporating healthy behaviour into your everyday life.Instead of saying "I want to lose 35 lbs" it might be better to split this goal into bite-size (excuse the pun) parts so that you're making sustainable and incremental changes. A more realistic goal might be " I want to lose 1lb per week".

2. Change One Behaviour At A Time

Unhealthy behaviours develop over the course of time. Thus, replacing unhealthy behaviours with healthy ones requires time. Don’t get overwhelmed and think that you have to reassess everything in your life. Instead, work toward changing one thing at a time.

If you're trying to make changes to your exercise or diet, it might be better to tackle just one of these goals in a more comprehensive way. Making changes to the way you eat, for example, takes planning and experimentation and time and shouldn't be considered just another item on your list of goals. We recommend choosing 1 category on your list and really committing to it in order to achieve more successful results.

3. Keep Track Of Your Progress

Use an app, a diary or a chart to track your progress. People who monitor behaviour tend to do a better job, even if they’re not actively trying to change. If you're trying to make a positive diet or exercise change then simply write down your progress. Your significantly more likely to keep yourself motivated and stay on track if you keep a record of your efforts.

4. Talk About Your Goals

Share your resolutions with family and friends. Consider joining a support group to reach your goals, such as a workout class at your gym or a group of coworkers quitting smoking. Having someone to share your struggles and successes with makes your journey to a healthier lifestyle that much easier and less intimidating.

5. Make A Solid Plan

It is one thing to set a goal and quite another is to execute it. If your resolution is to start going to the gym 3 mornings a week, make certain you have a system to help you achieve that goal. Setting your alarm 1hr earlier and preparing your gym bag and a snack the night before are the small yet important details that will help you to form this new habit more easily. You need to provide yourself with the infrastructure so that you have no excuse not to make good on your new goals. Planning is key.

6. Reward Yourself!

Last but not least be sure to reward yourself for making progress on your goals. This doesn't mean a giant shopping spree everytime you go to the gym or skip desert but instead think about small comforts that make you happy. Book a manicure or a massage once per week, or go for brunch with friends. Give yourself permission to treat yourself if you've stuck to your goals. Positive change should be rewarded and provides the extra motivation to help you stick to new habits.

With these tips in mind you should be well on your way to making and keeping your goals for 2018. Good luck in 2018. Change can be good, but sustainable transformation is better!