Setting Intentions for the New Year

I have never been a big fan of new year’s resolutions. Although the beginning of the new year is a wonderful time to make positive changes in our lives, the traditional method of making a list of resolutions can be overwhelming, and in some cases, we set ourselves up for failure by having unrealistic expectations.

Positive change is much more likely to become a permanent habit if we show compassion for ourselves during the process of adapting.

Change comes gradually.

Instead of a list of resolutions, I recommend taking the opportunity at the beginning of the new year to assess what works and what doesn’t, set an intention and a specific goal, and break your action plan down into small steps. 

For example, if your intention is to be healthier, and your goal is to exercise four days a week, your first step might be to take a walk alone or with a loved one 1-2 times a week for three weeks. You may discover that you love this routine, and want to increase your walking days before the end of the three weeks. This is wonderful! Acknowledge your success, but make sure your expectations do not get ahead of your adaptation. 

With each step, increase the amount of change you are introducing, and most importantly, treat yourself with compassion throughout the process. When you have reached your goal, celebrate! Give yourself full credit for all your hard work!

This article first appeared in my January eNewsletter.

My 3-day detox

In response to my holiday overindulgence in the last few weeks of 2013, I began 2014 with a gentle detox.

I've always wanted to try this, but have never before had time or the interest in doing the work that is necessary to make a detox accessible--and edible. Although the ingredients are simple, creativity is required in taking those ingredients and making them into something that I'd want to eat, as opposed to eating plain vegetables and counting the hours until I can eat bread again.

On New Year's Eve, as I sipped my glass of champagne, my body began to scream at me. It had been whining for the last couple of weeks, but it had reached its limit. My knees were hurting, my skin pale, and I was exhausted. And yet, it was the holidays! Have another Christmas cookie!

By New Year's Day I had decided to do something radical about my diet, but waited, of course, until we came back from a mini-vacation in Prague. A visit to the Czech Republic is certainly not the time to begin a detox.

We landed in Tirana on the 5th, and on the way home I stopped at my favorite vegetable market to stock up on produce. One of the benefits of doing a detox in Albania is that the produce is fresh, delicious, and inexpensive. If I decide to do this again in the spring there will be even more variety, and it will be fresher and cheaper.

I used a template from Mind Body Green as an outline, and started the first full day we were home. I did not follow a strict plan, but completely eliminated wheat, dairy, sugar, and alcohol, and drank tea instead of coffee in the morning. I ate a lot of fruits, vegetables, walnuts, almonds, and cashews. I couldn't find the rubber seal for our blender until the second day, so the first two smoothies were pretty exciting. Note: a food processor is NOT a substitute for a blender.

A Super Breakfast

- banana

- frozen berries

-handful of walnuts

- ice and water

Lunch

- handful of spinach

- peach 

- handful of almonds

- ice and water

Dinners consisted of salad, a variety of steamed vegetables, and protein. The first night I cooked salmon with olive oil, lemon, and salt in the slow cooker, and the second night I adapted Dr. Oz's recipe for lentil soup. The third night was quinoa with lightly roasted vegetables, and my husband had chicken. Salad dressing was olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and a dash of dijon mustard.

Salad toppings

- avocado

- green peppers

- tomatoes

Tabouli with quinoa instead of bulgar.

- parsley

- cucumbers

- green onions

- tomatoes

- quinoa

- olive oil

- lemon juice

Lentil soup

- red lentils

- onions

- carrots 

- tomatoes

- olive oil

- cumin

- bay leaves

- freshly made vegetable stock

I was extremely pleased with the results. I felt energized and less inflamed by the end of the first day, and my knee pain had disappeared by the second day. My skin improved, and I lost a little sag in my waist and bum. I never felt hungry. 

There are many reasons to do a detox, but one of them is to shock yourself out of bad eating habits. I plan to stick to smoothies for breakfast and lunch, and do what I can to make our dinners healthier while not alienating my husband.