It's a new year. A time for new beginnings. A time for new relationships, new hobbies, new adventures -- a time for a new you. Many of us make new years' resolutions to encourage positive change in the new year, but they're notoriously hard to keep. What can you do to make them stick? First, you should know that you're not alone when you struggle. The very fact that new years resolutions are somewhat of a punchline in self-defeating humor just goes to show you that you aren't alone, so don't beat yourself up. Seriously, if you don't take it from us, take it from the American Psychological Association. It's counterproductive. If so many resolutions fail, however, that begs the question what should a New Years Resolution even look like? Well, according to the New York Times, your goals should follow the SMART method in other words, they should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. So, when making one, you should have a specific, quantifiable goal in mind that you can achieve within a certain period of time for the right reasons (for example, as an overall lifestyle change instead of just feeling self-hatred or fleeting passion).

They also recommend:

• Making it personal (figuring out what behaviors you want to change and what in particular causes you to engage in said behavior)
• Be realistic the change is not going to happen all at once, and there will probably be setbacks. Push through them, while remaining flexible.
• State your goal publicly this gives you something (more) concrete to inspire you than just wanting something.
• Connect with people pursuing similar goals and work towards them together. They'll hold you accountable and you'll have a feeling of shared purpose.

One common goal that people have every year is to eat healthier and shed post-holiday pounds. Many of our customers do and while we can't necessarily make all their wishes come true, we can help in pursuit of that goal with our delicious, low-calorie, low-sodium ready-to-eat meals. Our shelf stable meals are ready whenever you are, so you won't be tempted to grab the potato chips. You can have a homestyle meal instead, piping hot in just minutes. Our convenient express meal solutions are also great for a healthy lifestyle, from our protein-packed meal replacement bar to our yummy chicken or tuna vegetable salad on fluffy whole wheat tortillas. At Chef 5 Minute Meals, we believe that convenient meals shouldn't be junk food. They should be satisfying, delicious, and comforting. We strive for that level of quality continuously.
We know it's hard to work towards a better you we want to help make it easier! We hope you'll make us part of your healthy lifestyle in the new year and we wish you all the success you desire in making your dreams happen.