Are you struggling with your health & wellness goals? Here are 3 ways to achieve them.
Start Small
Starting small is one of the proven ways to accomplish any goal.  Most people believe in setting goals that are big and lofty, like  “I want to lose 20 pounds in 1 month.” These goals can be attained but will require much effort. .  Studies have shown that when a person accomplishes one small goal, it motivates them to continue and achieve their larger goal. If the goal is too grand, then that person might procrastinate. So set small goals, achieve them, and increase your self-confidence. This boost to your confidence will increase your chances of achieving your larger goal.
Know Your WHY?
You must identify your WHY. For example, if your WHY for losing weight is to improve your health, then keep that in mind. It is also important to remind yourself as often as needed about your WHY. Knowing and reminding yourself of your WHY will be a way to encourage yourself on those bad days.  We all know that there will be days when you want to give up on your goals.  Identify the WHY behind the goals you’ve set for this year, if you have not already done so.
Remain Consistent
We are an extremely distracted society with thousands of marketing campaigns trying to get our attention, not just on TV and radio but now on social media.  The moment we begin to focus, there goes the cell phone buzzing.  This is the most common way we are being distracted today.  Eliminating distractions is not the easiest thing to do, but you can plan to remain consistent daily by choosing an accountability partner. Your accountability partner or buddy will encourage you and remind you about your WHY.
According to most media publications, losing weight, exercising more, and improving one’s diet are the top three most common New Year resolutions made each year.  Sadly, by Valentine’s day in February, most of these same people have forgotten they even made new year resolutions.  So, are you doomed to fail this year, or will you beat the odds and achieve your health goals?
The most pivotal step in achieving your goal is to create a roadmap or an action plan.  An action plan will break up the process into small actionable steps. These steps must be attainable or it will more than likely not happen. If the idea of writing an action plan scares you, just consider it an investment that you will collect on in the near future.  This task done upfront will help you to stay on track and focused.
Your goals within your action plan must also be SMART. S.M.A.R.T is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. All your goals must be:
Specific – Ask yourself this, “What do I want to accomplish?”
Measurable – Ask yourself this, “How will I know if I’ve reached my goal?” You must be able to track your progress along the way.
Achievable – Ask yourself this, ” Is this goal realistic?” Evaluation of any constraints or restrictions such as finances.
Realistic – Ask yourself this, “Is this goal within my reach ?”
Timely – Ask yourself this, “How much time will I need to accomplish this goal?”
Give yourself some credit for taking the first step of setting a goal. Now go forth and set yourself up for success!
About the Author
Deborah Johnson is a plant-focused Nutritionist and Health Coach with a Master of Science degree in Nutrition. She founded My Temple Wellness Inc. in 2018, a holistic wellness company whose mission is to educate, alleviate, and eliminate the potential health risks among vulnerable populations through nutrition education and wellness principles. In addition to Deborah’s graduate science degree, she is certified in Nutritional Psychology, an emerging area of study that examines the relationship between dietary and nutrient intake patterns and our mood, behavior, and mental health. She is a board member of The Steering and Envisioning Committee (SEC) for New York City Nutrition Education Network (NYCNEN), an organization dedicated to improving the food and nutrition environment for a healthier NYC. Deborah currently works with multiple organizations as a Community Nutritionist to develop nutrition programs designed to promote health and prevent disease, targeting particular groups of people. She also works one-on-one with individuals as a Health Coach. Deborah’s commitment is to help people make lasting changes through adopting healthy habits for life. She is also the Host and Co-Producer of “SOUL GARDENS” a local Nutrition & Cooking TV show airing in both the Bronx on BronxNet TV and Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) in NYC.
Photo – Deposit Photos
