When it comes to setting realistic nutrition goals for the new year, we’ve found there are a few major challenges our clients deal with:
- They set goals they don’t actually care about
- They set arbitrary goals instead of educated goals
- They set goals that are either too big or too small
All these obstacles contribute to the hamster wheel of setting the same goals every year on January 1st.
The resources below will help you set realistic nutrition goals and overcome these common goal-setting pitfalls. We’ll help you dig into what is most important to you and set goals based on what makes sense for your body and lifestyle.
Why Setting Realistic Nutrition Goals Matters
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, nutrition goals often top the list. Many start the year with ambitious plans like “never eat sugar again” or “lose 20 pounds by February.” While these aspirations might initially feel motivating, they can quickly lead to frustration and burnout. Setting realistic nutrition goals, on the other hand, sets the stage for long-term success.
Realistic Goals Build Confidence
Achieving even small, manageable milestones can create a snowball effect. When you hit a goal—like drinking more water daily or eating an extra serving of vegetables—it boosts your confidence and keeps you motivated. Over time, these small wins add up to significant results.
They Improve Consistency
Consistency is the cornerstone of sustainable change. Unrealistic goals, such as drastically cutting calories or following restrictive diets, are often difficult to maintain. Instead, realistic goals are designed to fit into your lifestyle, making it easier to stick with them day after day.
Backed by Science
Research supports the power of incremental changes. Studies show that people who focus on smaller, achievable goals are more likely to sustain their habits over the long term than those who try to overhaul their diet overnight. It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress.
By setting nutrition goals that are achievable and tailored to your needs, you create a foundation for lasting change. Remember, the most effective goals are those you can stick to—not just for a few weeks, but for the entire year and beyond.
Health and Nutrition Goal-Setting Resources from Working Against Gravity
Here are some of our favorite resources to help you set goals you care about in 2025 and actually reach them.
Evaluate Your Starting Point: WAG Goal Setting Worksheet
Our free goal-setting worksheet is specific to health and nutrition, making it the perfect resource for the new year. We provide an in-depth guide to setting actionable ten-, five-, and one-year goals and a printer-friendly worksheet to use as you dig into what matters most to you.
Tracking Progress and Setting Goals
Keeping tabs on progress is a critical component of reaching any goal. We’ll teach you the best way to accurately measure progress based on any goal.
Setting Nutrition Goals and Tracking Health Progress
‘If your goals don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough’. It’s important to push yourself and to believe that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to, but long-term ‘dream big’ goals can lead to feeling overwhelmed or lost along the way.
Read NowSetting Small Goals: How "Aiming Low" Will Help You Reach Your Health Goals Faster
No matter how far off your ultimate goal may be, small steps help you get there. We break down common long-term weight loss and nutrition goals and help you determine immediate steps to get there.
Setting Small Goals: How "Aiming Low" Will Help You Reach Your Goal Faster
It is common to get excited about a new goal and want to go all in. Why only hit the gym a few times per week when you can aim for six days and reach your strength goal faster? Why only aim for your protein target when you can hit all your targets and reach your weight loss goal sooner?
Read NowGive Your Brain a Break: Tips on Minimizing Decision Fatigue
Keeping the healthy choice the easy choice is key to reaching yours. Here’s how to hack habits to make following your routines the easy choice.
Give Your Brain a Break: Tips on Minimizing Decision Fatigue
You make more than 30,000 decisions a day, and around 200 of these are based on food alone.
Read NowHow to Find Your Drive When You’ve Lost Motivation
Motivation is like any emotion—it comes and goes and is mostly based on external stimuli (did you sleep enough? Are you in a good mood? Did you just get inspired on Instagram?)! Learn how to focus on your goals whether or not motivation is around!
How to Find Your Drive When You've Lost Motivation
It’s natural to go through days or even weeks when motivation is low. Lack of motivation doesn’t mean you’re chasing the wrong goals, it just means other life forces are coming into play that make motivation a bit harder to conjure up.
Read NowWorkout Motivation 101: How to Stay Focused on Your Goals
Grab these workout-specific tips to stay moving and enjoy the process of training and getting fitter.
Workout Motivation 101: How to Stay Focused on Your Goals
Workout motivation makes you put on your exercise shoes rather than your slippers. Learn how to create and keep this motivation to meet your fitness goal.
Read NowFour Strategies for Staying Motivated
Here are four actionable strategies to implement when you need a little push to stick with your goals.
Four Strategies for Staying Motivated
How do I stay motivated? This is one of the most common questions I’m asked. Motivation is what gets you started. After that, it’s about doing what needs to be done until you eventually get where you want to be.
Read NowHow to Create Accountability: The Missing Piece You Need to Achieve Your Goals
Accountability systems—whether a coach or a fitness watch—help you stick with the needed actions to get you to your goals. Here’s how to create accountability in your day-to-day.
How to Create Accountability: The Missing Piece You Need to Achieve Your Goals
Wondering how to create accountability or why accountability is important to goal setting? You’re not alone...it tends to be the piece most often forgotten during the goal-setting process. The kicker is that it could also be the biggest thing standing between you and the goal you’ve been chasing.
Read NowTake Advantage of Motivation with a WAG Pass
Clearly, we have feelings (and plenty to say) about motivation! There’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of motivation when it is there—as long as you have systems in place when it decides to go MIA (which it will, we promise).
Grab a prepaid WAG membership, save on your 3-, 6-, or 12-month commitment, and get started in January when motivation is high, and all you need is guidance from an expert coach to get going!
