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ZOE Science & Nutrition

How to make New Year’s resolutions stick

ZOE Science & Nutrition

ZOE

Nutrition, Education, Science, Health & Fitness

4.65.6K Ratings

🗓️ 1 January 2023

⏱️ 46 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Welcome to 2023! Whether you partied last night or went to bed early, we’re all in the same boat: a new year means thinking about new year’s resolutions.  This tradition dates back 4000 years, so it’s certainly stood the test of time. But are new year’s resolutions a good idea? Or simply a get way to set yourself up to fail?  Perhaps science has something to say about this. In this episode, Jonathan speaks with Tara Swart and Sarah Berry, who share techniques that will give you the best chance of sticking to your New Year’s resolutions. They also discuss whether these promises are a good idea in the first place.  Tara Swart is a medical doctor, a neuroscientist, and the author of The Source: Open Your Mind, Change Your Life. She also has her own podcast, called Reinvent Yourself. Sarah Berry is one of the world's leading experts on human nutrition. She has personally run more than 20 randomized clinical trials looking at how humans respond to different fats. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Timecodes: 00:00 - Introduction 00:10 - Topic introduction 01:54 - Quickfire questions 02:32 - Making good choices for the New Year without it being hard work 04:28 - Why do we do New Year resolutions and is it a good idea? 07:07 - How to achieve New Year’s resolution goals? 09:18 - Scientific evidence about how to achieve goals 09:53 - What is neuroplasticity 16:02 - 4-step process to change your brain 18:36 - How to approach weight loss resolutions 23:07 - Avoiding dieting as a New Year’s resolution 25:49 - The science of habits 33:07 - Tips & actionable advice 40:02 - Quitting alcohol 43:26 - Summary 44:00 - Goodbyes 44:11 - Outro Episode transcripts are available here. Get Tara’s book here. Follow Tara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtaraswart Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarahberry/  Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/ Have an idea for a podcast? Contact Fascinate Productions to bring it to life.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to Zoe, Science and Nutrition, where world-leading scientists explain how their research can improve your health.

0:12.0

Welcome to 2023, whether you partied last night away or went to bed early, we're all in the same boat.

0:20.0

A new year means thinking about new years resolutions.

0:26.0

This tradition is far older than you might guess.

0:29.0

It goes all the way back to the Babylonians who lived 4000 years ago in the Middle East.

0:35.0

The Babylonians were an inventive lot.

0:38.0

In a few years they invented the wheel, the sailboat and writing itself.

0:43.0

But they also invented the new year's resolution.

0:46.0

They would start each year by making promises to their gods.

0:50.0

If they kept their word, their gods would favour them.

0:53.0

If they broke their promises, their gods would be angry.

0:57.0

A place no one wanted to be.

1:01.0

So new year's resolutions have certainly stood the test of time.

1:05.0

But are they a good idea?

1:07.0

Or are we simply setting ourselves up to fail?

1:10.0

Perhaps science has something to say about this, that the Babylonians didn't know.

1:17.0

Today I'm joined by medical doctor and neuroscientist Tara Swat.

1:22.0

Author of The Source, Open Your Mind and Change Your Life,

1:26.0

who also runs her own podcast called Reinvent Yourself.

1:30.0

I'm also joined by nutritional scientist and Zoe regular Sarah Berry.

1:34.0

Before you commit to a new year's resolution that might fail before February,

1:38.0

I'd encourage you to listen to their tools and techniques to give you the best chance of sticking to your goals.

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