People associate New Years Day with making resolutions to live healthier. Unfortunately, most resolutions don’t last more than a few weeks. The problem with making these self-promises to live better is that they don’t come with a plan or a support system. It is no wonder that they fail.

So how do you make a promise you intend to keep?

First, assess your readiness to do things differently. If you have a refrigerator and cabinets full of holiday food and snacks, do you really think you can stick to only eating healthy food? There needs to be a purging of the temptations first.

Second, have what you need easily accessible. Stock up on fruits and vegetables at home. Be prepared to pack lunches. Prep ahead to make cooking meals faster. Cook ahead on weekends foods that reheat well. If you have access to a frig at work, bring a bag of groceries in for making salads during the week (including proteins: cheese, hard cooked eggs, cooked chicken, beans).

Third, set up a support system. Have your family back you up; they could benefit from this, too. Talk to your co-workers and see if they want to do this together. Maybe you can take turns bringing lunch for each other.

Remember. Success requires planning ahead.