Setting Goals That Support Lasting Change This New Year

Setting Goals That Support Lasting Change This New Year

Written by: Sophia Schweiger

Reviewed by: Andrew Wade, MS, RDN, LDN, CSSD

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New Year’s resolutions. The season of lofty goals set far beyond our current capacities, all held together by newly purchased gym memberships, strict and often restrictive diets, and maybe even a smaller wardrobe bought in hopeful anticipation of rapid change. Year after year, we return to these same expectations, convincing ourselves that this will be the year it finally works.

We feel energized on January 1st, only to feel discouraged by February, wondering why the momentum fades so quickly. The truth is, you’re not broken, you’re human.

What if the New Year didn’t revolve around flipping a switch or reaching vague goals in record time? What if the goal wasn’t to win the race, but simply to stay in it? This year, let’s shift our perspective. After all, change is a journey, not a resolution.

Same You, New Chapter

Meaningful change rarely begins with a perfectly defined goal or detailed plan. It begins with awareness. Before deciding what to change, it’s important to understand where you’re starting: current habits, readiness, and mindset.

Yet, January often encourages the opposite approach. We treat resolutions like a race, sprinting forward with urgency before assessing the terrain. Motivation is high, expectations are higher, and intensity takes over. The result isn’t lack of discipline, it’s burnout. The runner isn’t incapable, but the approach doesn’t match where they’re starting.

Experienced runners know success depends on preparation: assessing readiness, pacing appropriately, and building gradually. Yet many resolutions skip this step entirely. We mistake intensity for effectiveness, and when the plan falls apart, we blame ourselves instead of the strategy. If you’ve ever felt fired up on January 1st and discouraged by February, it’s not a lack of willpower, it’s a mismatch between expectations and readiness.

A Framework for Real Change

If change were as simple as deciding and doing, New Year’s resolutions wouldn’t be so fleeting. Real change unfolds over time, with pauses, troubleshooting, and moments of uncertainty along the way. This is where the Transtheoretical Model of Change offers a helpful framework. This model is not to be utilized as a rigid set of rules, but as a map.

Rather than expecting an immediate jump from intention to action overnight, this model recognizes that change happens in stages. Each stage reflects a different level of readiness, and each requires different types of support. The goal isn’t to rush through the stages, but to understand where you are so you can move ahead intentionally.

The stages include:

• Pre-Contemplation: Not quite ready to make a change yet
• Contemplation: Considering the possibility of change
• Preparation: Getting ready to change with intention
• Action: Actively implementing new habits and behaviors
• Maintenance: Sustaining these changes over time

A key reminder is that these stages don’t unfold in a straight line. The goal is not to “graduate” from one stage and never look back. Lapses, busy weeks, vacations, and unexpected disruptions are a part of the process. When viewed in this light, progress becomes less about perfection and more about consistency.

Stage-by-Stage Walkthrough

Understanding your current stage is key. Identifying this core piece helps you move forward with clarity, making the often abstract idea that “change is a journey” feel tangible and actionable.

Stage 1: Pre-Contemplation

This stage is often overlooked, but it is vital that we view this as the first step in true change. This stage doesn’t indicate a lack of progress, but it’s where awareness begins, laying the foundation for meaningful change when the time is right.

Common indicators:

• Feeling overwhelmed, uninterested, or unready
• Discouragement from past attempts
• Limited awareness of problematic patterns
• Resistance to advice or information

This stage captures the mindset of, “I’m not really thinking about changing… yet.” Notice the use of the word “yet”, as it signals a crucial possibility. It marks a turning point, where one can choose to remain where they are for now or begin moving toward contemplation.

Helpful strategies:

• Notice patterns without judgment
• Reflect on current behaviors
• Ask curious questions about future possibilities: “What would my life look like if I made a change?” or “Am I truly happy with how things are?”

Key idea: Awareness is progress. Even a spark of curiosity can pave the way to change.

Stage 2: Contemplation

Awareness has now been sparked, as this next stage invites us to pause and reflect. You’re considering change without pressure to act immediately. Pre-contemplation lays the groundwork, but contemplation nurtures insight, helping individuals recognize both the benefits of change and the barriers that may stand in the way.

Common indicators:

• Considering pros and cons
• Recognizing consequences of current habits
• Imagining alternative choices
• Feeling ambivalent or hesitant

This stage captures the mindset of, “I see the possibility of change, and I’m considering it.” It is a space of curiosity, reflection, and honest evaluation—where questions become deeper and more personal.

Helpful strategies:

• Make a pros and cons list
• Reflect on personal values
• Journal thoughts and emotions
• Seek information without obligation

Key idea: Feeling torn means that you care. Even simple reflection indicates progress toward meaningful change.

Stage 3: Preparation

In this stage, we create the bridge between insight and action. This where readiness to change becomes intentional planning.

Common indicators:

• Intending to act soon
• Gathering tools or information
• Testing small changes
• Seeking support from others

This stage captures the mindset of, “I’m ready to make a change, and I’m figuring out how to do it”. Questions in this stage become more concrete and actionable.

Helpful strategies:

• Set small, realistic goals
• Prepare your environment to support success
• Anticipate challenges
• Build accountability

Key Idea: Taking steps signals commitment, building momentum for meaningful change.

Stage 4: Action

Finally, the step that everyone has been waiting and preparing for. Action is where preparation turns into practice. Every step one takes towards their goal, no matter how small, represents action.

Common indicators:

• Consistently practicing new habits
• Adapting in real time
• Prioritizing consistency over perfection

Helpful strategies:

• Take one step at a time
• Celebrate small wins
• Normalize interruptions
• Reframe lapses as pauses, not failures

Key Idea: Every step counts. Remember that persistence matters more than perfection.

Stage 5: Maintenance

Maintenance is where new habits start to feel normal. This stage is about sustaining change and adapting as life evolves.

Common indicators:

• Habits feel more automatic
• Lapses don’t derail progress
• Ongoing reflection and adjustment

Helpful strategies:

• Stay connected to support systems
• Reflect, adjust, and continue
• Celebrate ongoing progress

Key Idea: Sustaining change is progress. Maintenance shows that progress isn’t just about starting change, but it’s about keeping it.

Lapse vs. Relapse

Pauses and setbacks are to be expected; however, the problem doesn't necessarily arise in these deviations, but in our responses towards them.

With that said, it’s important to understand the difference between lapses and relapses:

• Lapse = a pause
  A single meal, a busy weekend, or a vacation doesn’t erase your progress.
• Relapse = giving up entirely
  Stopping completely and abandoning your goals is a relapse, not a momentary slip.

Approach lapses with a growth mindset, assessing how your behavior shifts during this time. View pauses as opportunities to reset and recalibrate, knowing you can resume where you left off. Returning to your habits after a lapse isn’t starting over, it is a continuation of the journey. Utilize your support system during this time if you need help getting back on track.

The Role of a Dietitian in Your Change Journey

A dietitian is more than a guide. They are a troubleshooter, strategist, and accountability partner. Their role is to meet you where you are in your change process, help you navigate challenges, and support sustainable progress, stage by stage.

How dietitians can support you:

• Meet you where you are: They help assess your behaviors across the stages of change without judgment.
• Encourage realistic goal-setting: Dietitians place creative constraints on goals, balancing structure and flexibility.
• Normalize exceptions: A dietitian helps you see lapses as pauses, not failures, and reinforces that progress continues when you resume.
• Troubleshoot curve balls: Life happens. Dietitians help you anticipate challenges, pivot when necessary, and return to your plan without falling back into earlier stages.
• Reinforce process over perfection: The first, second, or third attempt at a new action may not be perfect, and that’s okay. Dietitians remind you that the goal isn’t to win, it’s to continue moving forward.
• Foster self-awareness and growth: They guide reflection on your habits, helping you notice when you’re aiming too high, moving too fast, or inviting shame.
• Analyze decisions, not food: The focus is on your choices and patterns, not labeling food as “good” or “bad.”

A dietitian helps you stay in the prepare → act → reflect cycle, troubleshooting challenges, normalizing lapses, and maintaining momentum throughout the journey. With their guidance, healthy choices become manageable, flexible, and sustainable, turning your intentions into lasting habits.

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Change is easier with support. Connect with a Case Specific Dietitian at scheduling@casespecificnutrition.com to receive personalized guidance and support on your journey toward sustainable, healthy habits. Our team provides individualized nutrition care across the Greater Pittsburgh area, as well as in Erie, Raleigh, and Tampa.

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