Forget Perfect—Focus on Progress: New Year’s Resolutions That Actually Last

The start of a new year always seems like a clean slate—a chance to reset, refocus, and envision how you want the months ahead to feel. Maybe you want more energy, less stress, or simply to be more comfortable in your own skin. For many, that motivation translates into ambitious New Year’s resolutions. Goals that start off strong, but routinely fizzle out, leaving you feeling defeated and down on yourself—but not this time!  Instead of setting yourself up for burnout by February, we are excited to welcome back Registered Dietitian and PB2 Foods partner Amanda Holtzer for our guide to creating goals that actually fit your real life, and that will last far beyond January.

Amanda has worked with countless clients navigating New Year resolutions, and she's identified the key patterns that separate goals that stick from those that fall apart. And the problem isn't your willpower or motivation. The issue is often how we approach goal-setting itself. 

"The most common issue I see is people setting goals that sound motivating but aren't actually realistic within the confines of their real lives," Amanda explains. "We get inspired by what we see online, but those daily routines and habits might not fit your work schedule, your family commitments, or your actual preferences."

Popular New Year's Health Resolutions & Why They Fail 

So how do you set health goals that last beyond the initial burst of New Year's enthusiasm? We’re breaking down four common goals, their pitfalls, and the strategies that actually work for sustainable change. 

Goal #1: "I'm Going to Lose Weight"

Weight loss tops the list of New Year's resolutions year after year. The challenge? Many people adopt extreme measures in pursuit of this goal. They restrict themselves to a specific calorie limit regardless of hunger, eliminate entire food groups like carbohydrates, or try fad detoxes and appetite suppressants.

"While these measures may certainly lead to short-term weight loss, they are not sustainable for most people," Amanda notes. "And eventually, people burn out and are unable to continue these habits." The result is a cycle of restriction, burnout, and often regaining any lost weight—plus the added burden of feeling like you've failed. 

How to Make This Goal Achievable?  Break It Into Small Action Items!

While broad goals like "lose weight" can serve as a general guide, they need to be broken down into smaller, actionable steps that are realistic and achievable. For example, if your overall goal is weight loss, Amanda recommends action items like: consume 4oz of protein plus 2 cups of vegetables at dinner every day; limit sugar-sweetened beverages to once per week; walk 10,000 steps daily. These are specific habits you can implement and measure upon completion.

Because powdered nut butters contain far fewer calories than traditional nut butters (60 calories versus 180 for the same serving size), you can enjoy the flavor and satisfaction of peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter without the concentrated calorie load. This makes it easier to create a calorie deficit without feeling deprived.

Use PB2 Powdered Almond Butter in baked goods, PB2 Crunchy on apple slices for a satisfying snack, or PB2 Powdered Cashew Butter in sauces and dressings. You get the taste you crave with room in your calorie budget for other foods you enjoy.

For any easy way to put these principles into practice, give one of these protein-rich, veggie-forward PB2 meal recipes a try: 

• Chicken & Roasted Sweet Potato Protein Bowls with Lime-Peanut Sauce - Add 2 cups of whatever veggies you have on hand to this balanced bowl, featuring PB2 Pure, to hit Amanda's recommendation perfectly, making it easy to measure your success.
• PB2's Macro Bowl - You can choose whatever base you desire, whether it's oatmeal, barley, farro, brown rice, or grains. From there, the toppings are endless, the PB2 Original drizzle is tasty, and the portion control is easy! 

Goal #2: "I'm Going to Eat Healthier"

As a dietitian, Amanda is all for this goal in theory. But there's a significant problem: it's too vague. When we set big, undefined goals like "eat healthier," we often become overwhelmed trying to achieve them. What does "healthier" even mean? Does it mean never eating dessert? Only home-cooked meals? No processed foods? This vagueness leads to either paralysis (not knowing where to start) or feelings of defeat when you inevitably don't meet an undefined standard of diet perfection.

How to Make This Goal Achievable? Make It Measurable!

Setting goals that are measurable and trackable provides structure and direction. It helps you understand exactly what you need to do to achieve the goal. Instead of "workout every day," try "10,000 steps daily and 3 strength workouts per week." Instead of "eat healthier," aim for "3 servings of vegetables daily Monday through Friday" or "include 20-30 grams of protein at breakfast 5 times per week." These specific targets give you something concrete to work toward and track. Amanda recommends 1-2 servings of powdered nut butter daily as an excellent source of plant-based protein. A 2-tablespoon serving of PB2 Original Powdered Peanut Butter contains 6 grams of plant-based protein with only 1 gram of sugar. For even more protein, PB2 Performance products deliver 10 grams per serving.

Powdered nut butters add protein, healthy fats, and nutrients to foods you're already eating without requiring elaborate meal prep. Stir them into pancake batter, blend into protein shakes, mix into chocolate milk, or incorporate into frozen treats. The versatility means you can enhance the nutritional value of foods without completely overhauling your eating patterns—a much more sustainable approach than trying to change everything at once.

To hit those nutrition goals and make "eating healthier" concrete, add a few of these nutrient-dense recipe options to your weekly meal plan:

• Chocolate Overnight Oats - Prep multiple servings at once for grab-and-go breakfasts all week, ensuring you consistently hit your nutrition targets (thanks to PB2 with Cocoa)—even on busy mornings.
• Roasted Chickpea Salad with Creamy Cashew Butter Vinaigrette - This savory salad uses PB2 Powdered Cashew Butter in the dressing for rich flavor without added sugars, while playing off the additional plant protein provided by the chickpeas. 
• Peanut Butter Energy Smoothie - Blend up this quick PB2 Original smoothie when you need a trackable, effortless option that’s ready in under five minutes.

Goal #3: "I'm Going to Exercise Daily"

Daily movement is a wonderful concept, and Amanda wishes we could all achieve it. But we have to be realistic. Does a goal of daily exercise actually fit into your work schedule? Would it require you to sacrifice other priorities like family time, adequate sleep, or necessary rest days?

When setting a movement goal, it's crucial to be realistic about the type of movement, the duration, and the frequency that you can realistically and sustainably maintain.

How to Make This Goal Achievable? Make It Realistic Within Real Life!

This is crucial. A health goal needs to be appropriate for you and your unique circumstances. In the era of social media, we're constantly seeing curated daily routines and fitness vlogs. While these can provide inspiration, they shouldn't serve as rigid protocols to copy.

Consider your real life. If you're a nurse working 12-hour shifts, is committing to a 45-minute workout every day realistic? Wouldn't a daily step goal plus 2-3 strength workouts per week be more sustainable? If you have several social gatherings coming up, is signing up for a rigorous post-work aerobics class appropriate—or would getting a drop-in pass be more realistic?

When you do increase your activity level, your body needs proper fuel to recover and build muscle. PB2 makes it easy to add protein to pre- and post-workout meals without excessive calories or prep time.

Amanda explains that "At just 60 calories per 2-tablespoon serving, powdered nut butters are a much leaner option than traditional nut butter, which typically contains around 180 calories for 2 tablespoons. During the production process, the oils in nuts are pressed out, reducing the fat content significantly. While healthy fats are absolutely part of sound nutrition, many of us tend to overeat saturated fats, resulting in a higher calorie intake."

Fuel your realistic exercise routine with these practical recipe options, made for active individuals who need to prioritize protein but also need to manage their overall calorie intake: 

• Baked Peanut Salmon - When it comes to muscle recovery, Omega-3-rich salmon paired with PB2 Original is a dream team of quality nutrition all wrapped up in a family-friendly dinner you’ll actually look forward to. 
• Chicken Burgers with Spicy Peanut Butter Slaw - A better-for-you twist on a classic favorite! Juicy chicken patties meet a crave-worthy PB2 Crunchy-mixed slaw that heightens the flavor with a little added kick.

Goal #4: "I'm Eliminating [Sugar/Carbs/Alcohol/etc.]"

Time and time again, Amanda hears patients ask if they should eliminate sugar entirely or give up alcohol for a month. The fundamental problem with these all-or-nothing goals is that they allow zero flexibility. While decreasing sugar intake is a great goal, trying to eliminate it completely sets you up for feelings of deprivation. Similarly, cutting out alcohol completely might lead to health benefits, but will it mean compromising your social life or feeling isolated at gatherings in ways that you haven't prepared for? These trade-offs matter when considering sustainability.

How to Make This Goal Achievable? Build In Flexibility!

Flexibility isn't permission to abandon your goals—it's what allows them to last. Life continues happening during your health journey, and you're still worthy of fun, spontaneity, and pleasure. If you don't allow space for these experiences, your health journey won't last.

This means permitting yourself to dine out, adjust workout schedules when needed, or take breaks from certain goals without considering yourself a failure. Sustainable change accounts for the reality of being human.

If you have a goal of working to reduce sugar intake, PB2 Pure Peanut Powder contains zero added sugar or salt—just peanuts. PB2 Original contains only 1 gram of sugar per serving, and even PB2 with Cocoa keeps sugar minimal while delivering rich chocolate-peanut butter flavor.

With PB2, you control exactly how much sweetness you add rather than dealing with pre-sweetened products. Many traditional nut butters contain 3-4 grams of sugar per serving, so choosing PB2 is an easy way to reduce sugar without feeling like you're restricting yourself.

Start being sugar-mindful with one of these flexible, lower-sugar options that don't feel restrictive:

• Peanut Butter Yogurt Parfait - Layer protein-rich yogurt with PB2 Performance for a low-sugar parfait that takes minutes to assemble and also helps you double your daily protein intake.
• Peanut Butter Banana Protein Muffins - Recipes that can multitask are the best—and these PB2 Original muffins prove it! They’re wholesome enough for breakfast, satisfying as a snack, and perfect as a dessert option that you can slowly modify to gradually reduce the sugar content as your body adjusts.
• Tofu and Veggie Stir-Fry with Peanut Butter Sauce - Once you start looking for it, sugar is everywhere—even in non-dessert foods. The peanut sauce in this awesome recipe gets its flavor from PB2 Original rather than sugar-heavy store-bought versions, giving you complete control over sweetness levels.

Your Final Action Plan for New Year's Resolution Success

So as you consider your own New Year's health commitments, remember Amanda's framework for each goal:

1. Identify the pitfall - Understand why the goal typically fails.
2. Apply the solution - Use the specific strategy that addresses that pitfall.
3. Leverage convenient tools - Use products like PB2 that make healthy choices easier.
4. Give your new plan a try - Put theory into practice with meals and actions that embody the principles that will help you succeed!
   

This year, skip the extreme measures and the all-or-nothing thinking. Instead, choose one or two specific, realistic health goals, utilize Amanda's framework, stock your kitchen with helpful products like PB2, and try a few recipes and fitness choices that make those goals delicious and achievable.

You got this!!