Adding Instead of Restricting: Simple Goals That Make Change Stick
Quo vadis? Many people use the start of the year to reset their direction. If resolutions fail quickly, there’s no need to wait a full year. The best moment to try again with more realistic goals is now. Photo: Unsplash
Same procedure as every year: A new year begins, and with it come fresh resolutions and big ambitions. Losing weight, drinking less alcohol, eating healthier, exercising more. The classics. All of it sounds great in theory.
In reality, these are often the very resolutions that fall apart within days or weeks. Data from fitness companies and smartwatch manufacturers show that motivation already dips in January, and most plans are quietly dropped.
The good news for anyone feeling discouraged: Most resolutions don’t fail because of a lack of willpower, they fail because of the plan. Studies (see sources at the end of the article) clearly show that many goals are simply set too high and approached the wrong way.
The following overview highlights what doctors, psychologists, and recent research recommend to make physical and mental changes more successful and which resolutions are easy to implement right now.
Small Steps
Anyone hoping to lose weight won’t achieve it in a few weeks. It takes patience and persistence. Setbacks are normal, but they often lead people to quit. Smaller changes, however, are far more manageable. And goals you can genuinely motivate yourself to pursue.
Jogging for an hour three times a week isn’t something most people enjoy right away. The barrier is high. But committing to a ten‑minute walk three times a week? That’s doable, and still great for your health. Once these small habits take hold, they create a sense of accomplishment and momentum. With that new confidence, the next mini‑goal becomes easier to tackle.
Add Instead of Restricting
Our brains don’t like giving things up. Anyone trying to ban unhealthy foods will likely face strong resistance from the upstairs control center. What the brain can’t have, it wants even more.
Doctors therefore recommend adding healthy foods before removing anything. For example: add a serving of vegetables to your meatballs and fries. That alone reduces the space for less healthy options. If you don’t want to skip dessert, pair it with a piece of fruit.
Another form of “addition”: The morning walk to the coffee machine is automatic but vitamins are always forgotten? Place your vitamins on the coffee machine, and one habit becomes two. Or link daily toothbrushing with a quick stretch or a few squats. Existing routines can be used to build new ones.
Build Movement Naturally, Build Muscle Gradually
More movement doesn’t have to mean buying running shoes and heading out for a jog. New studies show that even 7,000 steps a day benefit our health. The old 10,000‑step rule is outdated. And even small improvements, say from 4,000 to 5,000 steps, make a significant difference.
You don’t need long walking sessions to get there. Short bouts like a 30‑minute walk in the morning or after lunch are enough. Bonus: Brief bursts of faster walking have an especially positive effect. It’s essentially a mini interval workout built into your stroll.
The dog advantage: A four‑legged companion forces you outside several times a day. But even without a dog, short daily walks are easy to build into your routine. Photo: Unsplash
Anyone aiming to lose weight, improve endurance, or keep an aging body fit should also incorporate strength training. Two 20‑minute sessions per week are enough to start. Building muscle gives your body the tools it needs to support all your other goals. Without it, fatigue replaces stamina, and weight loss may come from muscle instead of fat.
Every bit of muscle gained is a win: small steps and realistic goals. No gym required, no six‑pack necessary, no bodybuilder physique.
Plan, Share, Simplify
Anything written in a calendar is more likely to happen than something that only exists in your head. If you schedule your three short walks and get reminders, you’re more likely to follow through. Sharing your goals with friends, family, or your doctor also increases your chances of success. A fact backed by research.
Resolutions for the new year, or any fresh start, can be incredibly simple. Many experts recommend trying something new: a different route to work, a new hobby. Stepping out of your comfort zone often makes life more interesting and fulfilling.
Ignore Influencers
Algorithms push new miracle diets and “fit in six weeks” programs every day. Most of them lack scientific backing. Health professionals therefore advise against following influencers for guidance.
They especially warn about trendy diets circulating on social media that have no scientific foundation. The same caution applies to protein hype and unusual workout routines. Personalized, supervised programs tend to deliver better results.
Friendship and Kindness
One of the most important resolutions for mental health: nurture friendships. One of the simplest resolutions for a positive 2026: be kind. To others, but especially to yourself.
Setbacks are normal and not a reason for harsh self‑criticism. Everyone has bad days. While we encourage and comfort our friends in tough moments, we often treat ourselves far more harshly. Instead, we should treat ourselves like our best friend: with kindness, patience, and compassion.
Sleep
A goal that requires no physical effort yet has a major impact on health: better sleep. Its influence on mood, motivation, weight, and overall health is well documented.
Improving sleep is surprisingly simple:
• Keep consistent bedtimes and wake‑up times, even on weekends (teenagers excluded).
• No phone in the bedroom.
• No screens at least 30 minutes before bed.
• Read a book or practice a mindfulness exercise instead.
Even small adjustments lead to measurable improvements.
Small changes can make a big difference: Just 15 extra minutes of sleep already benefit your health. Photo: Unsplash
Build Habits, Bounce Back
There are no shortcuts and no fast passes for resolutions. New habits take time. After two or three weeks, you shouldn’t expect miracles. On average, it takes 60 to 90 days (sometimes longer) for habits to stick. Anyone starting now should give themselves until early summer to truly establish new routines.
At some point, the habit simply becomes part of life. And the “aha moment” often comes only in hindsight, when you realize how something small has changed or even improved your daily life.
Setbacks during this phase are not a reason to quit. They’re completely normal. What matters is how you respond. Instead of feeling guilty or thinking in terms of failure, treat setbacks as learning opportunities. The key is to continue immediately rather than postponing the restart to “next Monday.”
You can even plan for setbacks. If you want to eat less candy but end up reaching for gummy bears, decide that next time you’ll eat a piece of fruit first and then have a few gummy bears. If you planned a 30‑minute evening walk but stayed on the couch, commit to walking around the block for five minutes next time.
Mini‑Resolutions You Can Start Today
Anyone who manages to establish a habit gains energy and confidence from it. Mini‑resolutions that are easy to implement and contribute to long‑term health and well‑being can be a great starting point for bigger changes. A few examples:
Water:
• One glass before meals (helps you feel full sooner).
• One glass of warm water after waking up to support digestion.
Movement:
• A 10‑minute walk after lunch or in the evening.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator in familiar places.
• Light bodyweight exercises twice a week.
• Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth.
Phone habits:
• No smartphone in the bedroom or at the dining table.
• Take a break intentionally without your phone.
• Don’t pull out your phone while waiting in line, for the train, bus, or for Godot.
• Turn off push notifications for news and social media.
• Uninstall one unnecessary app every day.
Evening routine:
• Breathing exercises, gratitude exercises, or journaling.
• Read two pages or one chapter of a book.
• Write down whatever is swirling in your mind. It helps the brain unwind from the thoughts it insists on overthinking.
• And: go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Even on weekends.
Sources
The University of Sydney: New year, new you: health experts share their resolutions for 2026
MCI and Beyond: 7 Science-Backed New Year’s Resolutions for Better Brain Health
CaroMont Health: New Year's Health Resolutions That Actually Stick: A Medical Perspective
National Geographic: Why most health resolutions fail—and what science says actually works
Mental Health Foundation: New Year’s resolutions: getting a mentally healthy start
Frontiers in Psychology: How to Form Good Habits? A Longitudinal Field Study on the Role of Self-Control in Habit Formation
Psychology Today: The Hidden Forces Behind New Year's Resolutions
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