With the New Year upon us, many of us create a list of resolutions that we hope to accomplish during the year. At the top of New Year’s resolutions are those that are focused on healthy living behaviors. From eating fruits and vegetables every day to exercising throughout the week, the New Year is a prime time for setting clear wellness goals with the intention of keeping them throughout the year.

Making health goals is the easy part – the challenge is in the maintenance of them. As you struggle to maintain those New Year’s resolutions you created just a few short days ago, follow these tips:

1. Be specific. Rather than say you want to eat better, be clear about what that means. Is it eating two fruits and three vegetable servings a day? Is it only eating fast-food once a week? Whatever it is, be specific.
2. Be realistic. The reason why most of never follow through on our resolutions is because we reach for the moon. While our ambition is commendable, it is much smarter to set practical goals.
3. Realize that setbacks will happen. We all have a bad week when our eating habits are filled with junk food or the treadmill catches more dust than fireplace shelf. When these setbacks occur, rather than berating yourself, promise yourself that at your next meal or in the following day, you will get right back on track with your healthy living.