When it comes to New Year's resolutions, many people dive into aggressive health and fitness goals
with the best intentions, only to burn out after a few weeks or months. The cycle of making resolutions each year and starting from scratch can feel defeating, but there’s a better way to approach it—by focusing on sustainable changes that you can build on year after year.
Rather than aiming for dramatic transformations or restrictive diets that are hard to maintain, consider setting goals that focus on gradual, lasting progress. The results may not come as quickly, but they’ll be more lasting, and next year, you won’t be starting from ground zero—you’ll be building on the foundation you’ve already established.
Make Sustainable Choices: Ask Yourself, "Is This Sustainable?"
When deciding on new health habits for the year, ask yourself, "Is this sustainable?" It could be a new gym membership, new workout gear, or a new diet. For example, if you're considering buying new equipment, think about whether it fits with your lifestyle and whether you’ll use it consistently. If you're joining a gym, choose one that is convenient and one that you can see yourself returning to long-term. If it's a diet, focus on nourishing, whole foods that align with your personal preferences rather than following the latest trend.
What Has Worked for Me?
Over the years, I've found that the most effective approach for me is consistency over intensity. Instead of jumping into intense exercise routines that I can’t sustain, I've adopted a routine that I can maintain.
1. I started with small, manageable workouts: I didn’t begin with 2-hour sessions at the gym. Instead, I started with 20-30 minutes of movement each day—whether it was a walk, a yoga session, or a quick strength workout at home. Gradually, this turned into a habit I didn’t have to force.
2. I embraced balanced eating: I didn’t completely cut out foods I loved. Instead, I focused on adding more nutrient-dense options like vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Over time, I started to crave healthier foods, and my energy levels improved without feeling restricted.
3. I tracked progress, not perfection: I stopped focusing on extreme goals like “lose 20 pounds in 30 days.” Instead, I tracked progress in ways that mattered—more energy, improved sleep, better mood, and increased strength. This shift in focus helped me stay motivated and positive, even when the scale didn’t reflect rapid change.
The Power of Food in Health and Wellness
One of the most influential pillars of health is food. What we put into our bodies has a direct impact on how we feel, how we function, and even how well we age. Instead of following fads, consider focusing on nutrient-dense, whole foods that fuel your body for sustained energy throughout the day.
A great starting point is to focus on what you can add to your meals to make them more nourishing, instead of constantly thinking about what to take away. You don’t need to eliminate every treat—just focus on balance.
Here’s a simple, nutrient-packed recipe from The Enso Kitchen, my recently launched e-book that has helped my clients maintain a balanced approach to food:
Simple, Nourishing Mediterranean Salmon
This is an absolutely delicious way to enjoy a nutrient-rich meal! Salmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, potassium, protein and antioxidants. This dish helps promote heart health, brain health and weight loss and reduces inflammation. The addition of the other ingredients gives this dish even more antioxidant and weight-loss promoting properties as well as helps to boost mood, fighting depression and anxiety.
Ingredients:
- 2 lb. filet of wild sockeye salmon (~1 inch thick)
- 1-2 teaspoons fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon garlic granules
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
- Juice of 1/2 large lemon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon, sliced
Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and pat dry the salmon filet. Season salmon filet with salt and pepper. Next, season with enough garlic granules/powder to evenly coat the entire filet. Then, do the same with the paprika - don’t be afraid as this is a well-seasoned salmon! Sprinkle lightly with Herbs de Provence.
Step 2.
Add the lemon juice and olive oil so that they are evenly distributed. The spices may start to wash off of the fish- with a brush, just sweep them back onto the filet. Top with lemon slices. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Serve with your favorite roasted veggie or salad with a few tablespoons cooked farro or quinoa.
For anyone looking to make lasting changes, check out my e-book, The Enso Kitchen! It is a blueprint and recipe book for busy professional women who want to lose weight, boost energy and lower inflammation WITHOUT medication. It includes:
- 42 Yummy, Nutritious, and Simple to Make Recipes that cover breakfast, lunch, light bites, entrees, savory sides, and sweet snacks (tried and tested- the same ones I used on my own 50 pound weight loss and wellness journey and that I use when developing customized meal plans for my clients).
- 7 Smart Carb Swaps so you can satisfy your carbohydrate cravings AND make healthier choices that support your weight loss goals at the same time.
- The 12 Basic Enso Clean Eating Principles to make your journey more simplified, less overwhelming, and more fun!
- 24 Quick & Easy Healthy Snack Staples so you can can make yummy satisfying snacks that are good for you, fast.
- The Enso Shortcuts that allow you to prep healthy food in advance without losing an entire day to "batch cooking".
- The Exact Nutrient-Dense Food to Stock in Your Panty that make it simple to quickly pull together healthy & tasty meals.
- A Protein Index so that you can more easily enjoy variety and plan meals with balanced protein sources
- A Simplified 7 Day Meal Plan that so you can get started right away.
My book focuses on the power of food as medicine and how small habits, stacked over time, can lead to remarkable results. Instead of trying to overhaul your life all at once, it teaches you how to build sustainable habits that stick. It’s a great resource for anyone who wants to improve their health, lose weight sustainably and increase energy levels, without feeling overwhelmed.
By focusing on small, sustainable changes, we can build lasting health and fitness habits that carry us forward. Rather than starting over every year, we can build on what we’ve already accomplished. When you embrace this mindset, New Year’s resolutions become less about a fleeting sprint and more about a lasting, rewarding journey.
Happy New Year,
Dr. Solmaz
P.S. With The Enso Kitchen, there is an exclusive offer to jumpstart your health and weight loss journey in the New Year with the Enso Weight Loss & Wellness Kickstarter! This includes a dedicated 1 hour session with me to get you started on your own personal weight loss and wellness journey. It's targeted to empower you with a success mindset and help you achieve results from the get-go. During our 1:1 session, we'll deep dive into strategy and evidence-based lifestyle medicine practices to set you up for success. You'll also receive The Enso Lifestyle Change Action Plan. There are only a few spots left!
P.P.S Both The Enso Kitchen and The Enso Weight Loss and Wellness Kickstarter are discounted until December 31st (prices will increase January 1st).
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