By Emily Holler
‘Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.’ —Pablo Picasso
Do you have plans to be much healthier in 2018? You’re not alone. According to statisticbrain.com, the majority of resolutions made in the new year are related to losing weight and healthier eating, but a whopping 80% of them will fail by February, so unfortunately the odds are not stacked in your favour.
We tend to launch into them with gusto for the first month or so, however if we don’t set realistic goals it’s common to find that the initial motivation starts to dwindle fairly rapidly. Work gets busy, family commitments place increasing demands on our time and we’re pulled in a multitude of directions because let’s face it, most of us have a lot of balls in the air.
Before you know it you find yourself hitting that snooze button after a furtive glance at the conspicuously placed gym outfit and feeling kind of helpless as your well-laid plans turn to rubble amidst a cascade of guilt-ridden sugar binges. Oops.
How can we break free of this unfortunate motivational groundhog day?
Achieving long term success with any set of health goals requires a little more effort than simply placing images on a vision board or writing out a list of what we want to achieve. Although these are undoubtedly steps in the right direction, we need to invest time in creating a realistic and achievable plan, then taking focused action to reach our desired outcome. Take heart, because it is entirely possible with a little commitment.
We’ve compiled a few tips to support you in reaching your goals in 2018:
1. Set realistic goals
Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and push beyond your comfort zone, however planning a total lifestyle overhaul is probably not realistic or achievable all at once. Plan to make incremental changes, track your progress as you go and reward yourself for reaching the targets you set. Use the SMART goals approach which is:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Timely
For instance, a smart goal would be to say I will workout at the gym 3 days a week during school term. Or I will limit sweet treats to once a week or special occasions.
2. Turn goals into action
Once you have created goals they need to be converted into an action plan. Scheduling the times you intend to exercise or creating a food plan for the week are very effective ways to stay on track. It’s very motivating when you are able to tick things off. An online interface such as lifetick can be helpful in staying on track with goals.
3. Know your why
What is your motivation for making these changes? Do you want to look fabulous? Have more energy? Manage stress? Or simply be able to participate more fully in life? Knowing your why will help you stay on track when things get challenging. Write a reminder of this and put it on the fridge or beside your toothbrush.
4. Reward your successes
Who doesn’t love a bit of acknowledgement when we’ve achieved something we set out to do. Don’t wait for someone else to give you a pat on the back when you can do it for yourself. Perhaps you could treat yourself to something special at the end of each month if you have been diligent in maintaining your routine.
5. Be flexible
Plans need to be fluid and flexible or they are more likely to fall apart. Sometimes life gets in the way. A family member may become unwell, holidays disrupt our routine, an unwelcome life event demotivates us for awhile. If you can be flexible then you won’t get discouraged when these circumstances prevent you from reaching your targets. Simply pick yourself up, dust yourself off, cast away those perfectionist tendencies and keep moving forward.
The end of the year is a very opportune time to review our health and wellbeing, and if we’re not feeling 100% then it’s a great time to book in for an annual check up or plan to tackle any niggling health concerns that we may have been ignoring or avoiding.
We believe that health is the greatest gift we can have in this life, so ensure you preserve it if you’re lucky enough to have it or take steps to restore it if you have somehow become unbalanced. Our world-class practitioners offer a range of options to facilitate your return to wellness.
Book an appointment online today.
