New Year’s Evolution

Happy 2014 UC San Diego! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday break and were able to enjoy some well-deserved time off.

If you are one of the many who vow “this year, I will…” and make countless resolutions to improve your health and lose those extra pounds in 2014, I suggest you take a moment and rethink your outlook. Did you know that only 20% of New Year’s resolutions are actually carried out successfully?

Given these odds, I like to think of the New Year as a perfect time to revisit some of the habits that perhaps you wish you had changed in 2013 but for some reason never really could get them to stick. For example, let’s take the most popular resolution that stems around making your health a priority. First, you must consider WHY this is important to you? Do you have a family medical history like Type 2 Diabetes that concerns you?  Are you trying to avoid the freshman 15? Or, is it merely to attain a specific number on the scale?

If your goals seem to be more in line with question #3, then I am sorry to say that this will PROBABLY put you right into that 80% of people who have trouble sticking to their resolutions. However, if you find yourself favoring questions 1 & 2, you are VERY likely to achieve your 2014 health goals.

The reason is people tend to lose sight of the big picture when they focus on numerous short-term goals. For example, wouldn’t it be boring to eat oatmeal and chicken salad every day for the rest of your life just to attain a specific number on the scale? Plus, who can even say that a particular number is right for YOU?!? The important thing is to look at LASTING changes, like incorporating more whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables into your daily intakes. Without a doubt, eating more of these items will show in the long run on both the scale and your overall health!

With that said, I challenge you to make a New Year’s Evolution, beginning to see what small change you CAN make to help you modify one of those habits from 2013 that you weren’t so fond of. Win a FREE sample of Somersaults Sunflower Seed Nuggets by posting/sharing/emailing me your VOW by Friday 1/10!

Dining services is here to help. Be sure to stop into one of our Markets on campus to check out the new variety of produce options available: Mung bean sprouts, mangoes, clementines, green beans …yep, we got em’ all!  Or, fill out the contact form (link to make an appointment inserted here) to make an appointment directly with me!

Interested in learning more about a particular topic? Feel free to email me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu or follow HDH on twitter & check Facebook for upcoming events featuring the Taste Buds!