It’s January, which means most of us are exercising, eating right, reading more, and generally being the best darn versions of ourselves since, well, last January. If you’re like nearly half of American adults, you’ve made a self-improvement pledge for 2018. It might even be the same goal you fell short of last year, and that’s OK. We’ve compiled a list of common New Year’s resolutions along with some uncommon approaches to help you actually achieve them.

The strategy for shedding pounds in the new year often goes something like this: gym memberships, grilled chicken, and green things. The problem is, that regimen gets boring for a lot of people. It’s unsustainable and you’re off the wagon by Super Bowl Sunday. Your best shot at sticking to your weight loss goals? Meal prepping. Especially when someone else does it for you. 

Sensible Meals ships chef-prepared, portion-controlled grub straight to your home. CEO Ingrid Rinck, a personal trainer with more than 20 years of health and fitness experience, crafts carefully detailed menus each week to conform to specific calorie counts. To help clients stick to the program, Rinck offers a smart mix of clean “diet” foods (like chicken, ancient grains, and kale) and comfort “fun” foods (M&M pancakes with smoked sausage).

Unlike other meal delivery services, your time commitment in the kitchen will be minimal. There are no elaborate recipes. If you can open a freezer and operate a microwave, you’re set. 

Rinck says Sensible Meals is the most affordable food prep service nationwide, which makes it easier to commit to the plan for long-term success. Clients who have been faithful to the program have lost weight (some up to 80 pounds), and kept up with their new healthy lifestyle. 

If you’ve tried eating right and exercising, and you still can’t seem to tip the scales in your favor, perhaps it’s time to look at underlying health conditions that might be making it more challenging to lose weight. 

“For most men and women in midlife, the inevitable decline of your naturally occurring hormones adversely affects your health,” says Dr. Steven Hotze of Hotze Health & Wellness Center in Houston.  

Hotze says low hormone levels can negatively impact your mood, energy, and metabolism, making it difficult to maintain or lose weight. While we can’t avoid these natural changes, there are steps we can take to curtail them. 

One option is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, which uses hormones that are molecularly identical to endogenous hormones (think progesterone, testosterone, et al.) lost during the aging process. By giving the body back what it’s missing, BHRT can restore your energy and metabolism, and ultimately get your weight loss goals back on track. 

Why is it so difficult for resolution-makers to stay the course? Setting unrealistic goals (say, 25 pounds by spring break) is sure to derail you. More attainable aspirations, like simply feeling better, might have more staying power. 

A study of Baby Boomers between 45 and 65 found that people define wellness as either “living free of illness or chronic pain” or “feeling hopeful, joyful, and energized.”

That research was commissioned in part by Kevin Kelly, CEO of Civana, a collection of sustainable wellness resorts that offer affordable access to healthy food, fitness programs, restful accommodations, and authentic spa therapies in uncluttered environs—miles away from the stresses of everyday life. 

If a little urban detox is what you seek, take a few days of PTO this spring and discover the future of wellness travel. Civana’s first property is set to launch in February in the appropriately named Carefree, Arizona. 

For men still feeling sluggish and stressed, even after a week-long vacation, it may be time to consider an option that will reinvigorate you from the inside out.

Mdrive, a line of six different supplements formulated by Phoenix-based DreamBrands, may be the answer. Each Mdrive product is specifically designed for different types of guys, from elite athletes to blue collar Joes. 

A key ingredient in Mdrive is an ancient Ayurvedic root called ashwagandha. In recent clinical trials subjects taking ashwagandha experienced lower stress, improved cognitive function, higher testosterone levels, and increased endurance. 

Whether your aim is to compete athletically, have more energy, or simply feel better, there’s an Mdrive product that will help you reach your goals. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while the percentage of American adults who use cigarettes has dropped in the last 10 years, smoking remains the country’s  leading cause of preventable disease and death. If you’re one of the millions of Americans resolving to kick the habit for good in 2018, the team at Swedish Radiosurgery Center in Seattle recommends going one step further: Get screened for lung cancer. 

High-risk individuals (55-74 years old with a 30 pack-year smoking history, in good health, and who are either still smoking or have recently quit) should get regular screenings. If early stage lung cancer is found, the center offers a non-invasive, stereotactic body radiation therapy called CyberKnife. This robotic treatment delivers precisely targeted beams of high-dose radiation, preserving healthy tissue surrounding the tumor, and resulting in few, if any, side effects. 

“The radiation options for early stage lung cancer have evolved quite far over the last decade,” says Dr. Christopher Loiselle, “and the results are extraordinarily good: 90-98% of early stage tumors are controlled with SBRT, and patients find the treatment generally quite easy to go through.”

For the entrepreneurially minded, setting concrete goals—and sticking to them—is key to success. 

Jack Johnson, co-founder and CEO of The Franchise Insiders, says 2018 is projected to be a strong year for franchises. “There appears to be a strong push to help businesses succeed,” he says. 

The Franchise Insiders help clients plan financially, vet franchise opportunities, connect with appropriate financing, and ultimately choose the best franchise match. Johnson says industries like senior care, fast casual food, and service businesses should continue to prosper in the new year. “We really like senior care because it’s a safe, low investment, high-return franchise opportunity that really helps people,” he says. 

As the senior population steadily grows, the demand for in-home care does as well. One particularly attractive option is Home Care Assistance.

What sets them apart? For starters, Home Care Assistance caregivers are trained in a pair of science-based approaches aimed at improving the quality of life for seniors. The Balanced Care Method™ is a holistic program that promotes healthy diet, physical exercise, socialization, and a sense of purpose, with the aim of ultimately enhancing and extending clients’ lives. The Cognitive Therapeutics Method™ incorporates activities designed to keep aging minds sharp.

Owning a Home Care Assistance franchise can be not only financially lucrative, but can also provide a sense of meaning and purpose. Matt Nyberg, president of Home Care Assistance of Nebraska, says, “Because we are with our clients for so many hours per day, we have the opportunity to really become a positive force in helping them live the life they want.” 

Another booming category heading into 2018: health and beauty. Franchise owners in this segment are seeing profits as consumers are willing to spend more disposable income on things like blowouts, boot camps, and body waxing.

LunchboxWax, a cheeky, full-service, speed-wax salon, is raising eyebrows in the industry. According to Jamie Dillon, vice president of marketing, the young company has nearly doubled in size every year since it started franchising in 2013.

Pattie Wells owns and operates a LunchboxWax in Meridian, Idaho, and is prepping to open her second salon this year. 

“As a LunchboxWax franchisee, I feel sure of myself, secure in myself and confident that I’m doing what I can for my present and my future,” Wells says. “I love owning my own business and being financially secure, but I also love being connected to this network of smart, successful men and women.” 

No matter where your priorities lie in the new year, you’ll need to allocate your hours wisely in order to achieve your goals. The easiest way? Invest in a wristwatch. 

A Daniel Steiger watch from Timepieces USA is a handsome—and affordable—option to help keep you punctual. As the manufacturers and distributors of Daniel Steiger, Timepieces USA eliminates the middleman and markup you see in other luxury brands, passing on the savings directly to the consumer. Mixing style and functionality is part of the modern man’s challenge, and a Daniel Steiger watch will not only help you get to where you need to be on time, but also looking your best. 

Today’s smartphone society may be quick to disregard wristwatches as a redundancy: Why should I buy a watch when my phone tells time? It’s a decent point. But aren’t our phones the biggest time suck we own? You check the time, only to be distracted by a text or email or social media. 

By learning how to manage your time effectively this year, it will no longer manage you.