Changing habits for better health can be challenging. But, with persistence and dedication to the outcome, you can achieve lasting change.
If you've been following along, you're well on your way to Better Numbers and a healthier future. In this article, we'll review exactly what's needed to reach your health goals, whether it's to lower your blood sugar, improve your blood pressure, eat a healthy diet, or exercise more.
You'll want to get your baseline (your health numbers - see Know Your Numbers). Next, start tracking in your journal. This will take time because numbers don't change overnight!
Decide your priority and why it's important to you. Connecting to your "why" helps remind you of the deeper reason you really want to get better. This step will give meaning, drive motivation and purpose, and link your goal to a positive reason to keep going.
So often our goals can seem unreachable; but coming back to an emotional connection with your "why" over time will build your resolve to be patient. If you feel stuck with deciding on your goals, reach out to a support partner or health coach.
Now that you've decided on your goal, the next step is to develop a strategy (plan) to move toward your goal.
A goal without a plan is just a wish. - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Here's a plan to get started:
5-Step Plan to Reach Your Goal
Step 1: Decide on a goal for your health.
Step 2: Choose habits that support your goal.
Step 3: Structure your environment to eliminate distractions and enhance your success.
Step 4: Track your progress.
Step 5: Reward your success.
The first step, goal-setting, is the most important step to achieve lasting change.
It’s a process, rather than a quick statement of what you really want to achieve.
Consider why you want to reach a particular end-point. Be honest and specific. Take time to refine your final iteration.
Be sure your goal is realistic. Often we are too quick to be an overachiever, missing the time and effort required to reach the end-point.
Part of the goal-planning process is setting an end-point. When do you anticipate reaching your goal?
The power behind your goal is your intention and commitment. Just how much are you willing to put into reaching the goal? What are the reasons the goal is important to you?
This ties in with your why. The bigger the stakes, the more likely you’ll be intentional and committed to succeed.
3 ways to provide structure to your goal plan
Once you’ve clarified your goal, it's time to work on your strategy to achieve your goal. There are different ways to implement steps to reach your goal.
You can do it yourself, join a group with common goals, or work with a coach.
Choosing the best option for you depends on different factors such as self-motivation, social support, and privacy.
To elevate your success in reaching your goal, here are 3 options to choose from:
OPTION ONE:
Consider DIY options with structure and general coach support:
- If you prefer a scientific approach focused on weight loss, Healthy Habits might be right for you (peek inside here).
- If having a done-for-you plan for healthy eating sounds do-able, the Transformation Challenge may be a good fit (peek inside here).
- If you’re interested in Plant-based eating, consider getting started with this program.
The success of these offerings hinges on your personal reserves and ability to be internally motivated. Can you make these changes based on your own capacity to be self-determined?
Self determination: motivated by your own internal state (desires, autonomy) vs someone who relies on external circumstances (e.g. a health coach).
OPTION TWO:
An alternative to these is expert facilitated GROUP health coaching, best approached with long-term support - for example 3 to 6 months or more.
With a motivator (the health coach), learning materials, and discussions, this option is structured and delivered over time.
Similar to a “no one-size-fits-all” diet, health improvement is also an individual process. In group coaching you'll have that plus social support
If this sounds appealing, join me in the Get Better Series For Women here.
OPTION THREE:
Get one-on-one coaching support. Learn more about health coaching here: WHAT IS HEALTH COACHING?
As we come to the end of this series, I want to encourage you to continue learning and adapting to changes in your health habits. Come back to these articles after you've had time to think about what you really need to get better.
Counteracting the consequences of “lifestyle disease” and making an impact on your future health takes time.
A qualified health coach can help you reach your goals by providing personalized plans, motivation, accountability, and guidance to assist you to make positive health changes,
Read How to Find a Health Coach here
What’s next?
The goal of these articles is to educate and inform you about your health numbers. We covered five key health numbers that are important to know as you build a foundation for better health. Although "numbers" are a subset of your personal health, it’s an important way to monitor progress, especially if you’re dealing with common lifestyle diseases like hypertension, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
These articles contain little bites of information that I shared with my patients over the years. I wanted to have a resource of the steps they could take to improve their health. Now, since leaving patient care, I want to offer this information to you!
If you have comments or suggestions for future articles, submit them below. I’d love to hear from you. If this is your first time here, check out the entire set of articles here.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate you.