Wellness Wednesday: How to Set Goals for a Healthy Year!

A new year offers the chance to make the future you’ve imagined for yourself a reality. For many, it is a time to reset, get refocused, and improve life in a variety of different ways by setting healthy goals. Eating healthy and exercising are some of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Below are some strategies to help you set your healthy goals, stick to them, and work towards the life you want.

Focus on building long-term habits

While it may be tempting to jump on the latest trendy diet that promises rapid weight loss, it is better to create lasting, sustainable change. Whether your goal is weight loss or to learn a new language, achieving that goal is a two-part journey. The first part is identifying where changes need to be made to help create steady progress toward goals. Once these changes are made, the second part will focus on maintaining the progress achieved in the first part. Ask yourself: will you be able to follow your selected program for 1 month? 6 months? 1 year? Instead of setting goals that are difficult to maintain, try setting S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Specific: What will be accomplished? What actions will I take?

Measurable: How will the goal be measured? How much?

Achievable: Is the goal doable? Do I have the skills/resources to accomplish goal?

Relevant: How does the goal align with my wants, needs, desires?

Time-bound: What is the time frame for accomplishing the goal?

Below is an example of how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals:

Goal 1: I want to improve my physical fitness.

  • Specific: I will start running.
  • Measurable: I will run 3x per week for 20 minutes.
  • Achievable: I will  include a day and time to run into my work/personal calendar to prioritize time for the activity. I have running shoes and a safe neighborhood to run in (if you don’t have the proper equipment, start by getting it first!)
  • Relevant: I feel ready to run again. It has been a while since I last went running, but have always loved it.
  • Time-bound: In 3 months I want to be able to run 3 miles, and in 6 months, I want to be able to run 5 miles.
Make your goals relevant

The goals we have for ourselves may differ from the goals or expectations others have for us. For example, your provider may want you to lose weight, your partner may want you to eat more meals at home, or your parent may want you to visit more often. For us to see real results, we need to be consistently working towards a goal that aligns with our own wants, needs, and desires. Find your “WHY” for wanting to change. Without this, it  will be hard to remain consistent in your efforts.

Find Your “WHY”

Motivation is not always innate. We don’t always wake up ready to accomplish our goals and may struggle with finding the drive to keep working towards goals occasionally. Succumbing to  this struggle leads to inconsistency in our efforts towards our goals, resulting in  a lack of results and serious frustrations.  Finding your “WHY” will help you stay on track even if you are lacking motivation. Refrain from making your “WHY” generic, such as “I want to be healthy” or “I want to lose weight.” Almost everyone wants this. But why is losing weight or getting healthier important to you? How will your life change for the better? Once you have your specific “WHY” for your goal, write it down and keep it visible, using it as a visual reminder of why you are making those tough decisions. Making those decisions will feel rewarding and that is what builds the motivation to keep working towards your goals.

The beginning of a new year is a fantastic time for honest self-reflection, and a time to come up with a game plan  to embrace change  and improve your life. If you have not started yet, you are not too late! Setting new goals for ourselves can happen any time of year, whenever we feel ready. All it takes is the courage to make that first step. Find your “WHY,” set your S.M.A.R.T. goal, and see how vastly different your life looks in a years’ time.

Need More Support?

We invite you to attend our upcoming Nutrition Education Class on Thursday, February 20 from 1:30 – 2:30 pm at Lone Star Circle of Care at Collinfield, located at 8913 Collinfield Dr #1, Austin, TX 78758. Registered Dietitian Karissa Lucio will share a nutritious recipe with the class. No RSVP is needed for this free event! Attendees under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Prefer one-on-one support? Schedule a visit with Karissa Lucio RD, LD, DCES or speak with your Lone Star Circle of Care provider. Call 877-800-5722 to schedule your next appointment.

Blog post written by Karissa Lucio RD, LD, CDCES, Lone Star Circle of Care Registered Dietitian.