standards > resolutions
determining your standards might be the secret to prioritizing your health year round
Happy Monday, Noosers! We hope you had an awesome 4th of July weekend 🇺🇸. The 4th is kind of a *sneaky* big holiday weekend and that means you might be dragging a little bit today (we certainly are!). Not only does the 4th of July really feel like the kick off for summer, it’s also the midpoint of the year. Yep, six months behind us, six more to go. And, because we love reflecting, six months into the year can be a great time to think back to some of the resolutions, goals, or habits you thought about and implemented wayyyy back in January. How’s it going? Any shifts? We know, kind of tough to think back to January on the Monday morning after the 4th. But what if we let go of those resolutions and instead, did some reflecting and created our own standards? Rather than the strict rules that are hard to abide by, what if we thought about what standards we could live within that would serve us year round?
Yes, it’s great to shift with the seasons — we aren’t robots — but if we stray too far from habits that serve us, it can feel overwhelming when we try to put it all back together when we decide it’s time for a change. What if we just stayed within some loose guidelines so that we can enjoy those margaritas and the fresh produce and a little exercise (it’s called balance, baby!), rather than feeling like we need a full reset every September AND January?
Today, consider creating your own standards — guidelines you can take with you on all your summer adventures, back to school, and through the holidays. Standards are a year round thing, so we can enjoy the good stuff and avoid the massive overhauls that just aren’t that fun. Read today’s post and join us for the second half of the year, with your own standards!

Hi Noosers! Anne & Avery, here. Our view on health is simple: small daily actions add up. The basics are the priority: real food, movement you enjoy, and habits that support you. Anne (Registered Dietitian) and Avery (Health Coach) write Monday Noosletters based on research and our experiences — because at the end of the day, we all want to know what everyone else is doing, perhaps due to our innate curiosity around human behavior. We are mothers, friends, and athletes who want to share our knowledge and empower our readers to take their health into their own hands. Every first Monday of the month is free, but if you’d like to upgrade to a paid subscription to receive weekly Noosletters, we’d be thrilled!
standards > new year’s resolutions
Technically, Anne and I didn’t make resolutions this year. The upside to not making a resolution is that you don’t have that guilty feeling that haunts you intermittently throughout the year — whispering a little reminder: oh, I still have to work on that. Or even worse, left behind three weeks into the year. Then, when December 31st rolls around again, you think — ok, better luck this time! And around we go. Yes, fresh starts are a great opportunity to work on some healthy habits, but making a huge overhaul a few times a year sounds exhausting.
We aren’t saying resolutions are bad — they can be great! They give direction and they give purpose. But the value of a resolution diminishes if all we can think about is the finish line. Then what?! Resolutions and goals are meant to have an end in sight — check the box and move on — but that might not be totally realistic nor sustainable.
Hitting a certain number on the scale, reading more books, or lifting/running a certain amount might give you a momentary sense of accomplishment (or a second to quietly whisper yesss to yourself that you have finally done it), but then the hard part starts… is this the new you? Are you going to do this…forever?!
Maybe that's the wrong question entirely. Instead of asking “who do I want to become?” what if we asked “who am I when I strip away all the shoulds and supposed-to’s?” What are my bare minimum standards? Once you find eating patterns, exercise routines, or healthy habits that stick, you have found your standards — loose guidelines that you can live by so you can enjoy your life and also support yourself with actions that serve you.
We like to call these standards your factory settings.
What if instead of trying to upgrade ourselves into someone completely different, we just focused on what our factory settings are? Strip it all down and figure out what works for you. This takes some reflecting and awareness (our favorites!). The hardest part about standards is finding what works for you — how do your meals feel, what kind of energy did you gain from that workout, how do certain habits support or challenge our overall well-being?
Like we said above, we aren’t robots, and we do choose the french fries over the side salad, or skip the workout to lay by the pool, or have one more glass of wine — but how far we stray from our standards is the important part. Making the next best choice that serves you is how you can stay within your standards.
These days, it’s nearly impossible to rely on external forces to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We are surrounded by temptation and convenience — it’s hard to leave healthy choices up to chance. Yes, it’s fun to go with the flow, but completely winging it in a world where it can be easier to find an obscure flavor of Doritos than it is to find a healthy snack, might not serve you.
And summer, with its slower pace and less rigid schedules, might be the perfect time to tune back into what those factory settings actually are.
Like we wrote about a few weeks ago, in the great summer paradox, the different seasons, particularly summer, have their challenges as a parent (or just as a human in general). But they also have opportunities. Let this season be your opportunity to find your factory settings. Enjoy that Sancerre, keep your movement routine loosely in place (or try something new and fun!), and fill your plate with as many fresh fruits and veggies as you can (can you hit 30 in a week?) — but most importantly, don’t let us tell you what your standards are — do what works for you so that you can enjoy the season, without the overwhelm of having to pull everything up by the roots and start over when you feel it’s all gone too far. We are here to make invitations and suggestions, but it’s your job to find what works for you.
So here's your challenge for the second half of the year: spend the next few weeks paying attention. Notice what makes you feel energized versus drained. What habits stick without feeling like work? What boundaries actually serve you? These observations will become your personal standards — your non-negotiable guidelines that travel with you through summer barbecues, busy fall schedules, and holiday chaos. Remember, standards aren't about perfection; they're about having a home base to return to when life keeps on life-ing.
Until next time…
Love this so much - Greens.Water.Move.Repeat.