Setting Healthy and Achievable Goals for New Year

You can still start the new year on a high note by focusing on healthy goals. Following the Covid-19 pandemic that led to a lockdown, we can write off the entire year and start on a clean slate.

Although we may continue facing disruptions into the New Year, the continuous rollout and development of the Coronavirus vaccine mean things will eventually fall into place.

Here’s why we should set healthy goals and look to the New Year with a lot of positivity.

Healthy goals and their importance

Setting a healthy goal helps one establish a direct and indirect impact on your well-being. Aiming for specific health objectives helps you prioritise your lifestyle regarding how to make it better.

Embracing healthy goals will help you establish good habits and break bad habits, as well as have intense effects on your entire life.

Additionally, putting effort towards your overall health helps improve your feelings about yourself, work performance, and personal relationships.

A majority of people shy away from coming up with impactful health goals because they fear the bar may be too high. However, did you know that you can change your lifestyle by practising simple things such as changing your diet or exercising for 10 minutes daily?

The golden rules for coming up with practical health goals

Break the big goals into more straightforward aims

Instead of setting yourself up to fail, come up with ambitious goals that would help you improve your overall health.

For instance, if you aim to exercise for one hour daily, why not start with 20 minutes? Don’t set the bar too high if you don’t exercise daily. Moreover, starting a fitness plan will likely cause you to get injured.

Break your goals so that they are smaller and more meaningful. In doing so, you can easily enjoy the success that comes with all your efforts.

Be intentional about what you want to achieve

For example, if you set your new year’s resolutions to centre around exercising more or losing weight, remain steadfast.

Although both decisions are right, they are too general. It could mean walking five times a year or losing a few kilos.

When setting your goals, be specific. If you’re planning to lose weight, what things will you put into place to help you attain the goal? Focus on your intentions, and the outcome will eventually come out.

Plan on how to facilitate the goals you set

When setting a goal, ensure you put things that will help you achieve it in place. For instance, you can set up goals at your workplace, such as eating lunch away from your desk or going for a walk.

Both goals make sense, so how do you ensure you achieve them?

• If you carry lunch to work, find a spot you can walk to and enjoy it quietly.
• Identify local places you can get tasty meals.
• Choose nearby landmarks that will be pleasant to take a walk after enjoying your meal.
• Plan your workload and calendar so that lunch hours don’t find you working.

Take a break

Don’t work like a machine; consider your health when setting goals. Also, train your mindset for success for the best outcome.

Some days you won’t feel like walking, exercising, or enjoying healthy meals. That’s part of human nature.

Don’t beat yourself up; instead, have a goal not to miss those above twice in a row. In the end, you will have something to look forward to, reduce the pressure, and avoid negative talk.

Be part of a team

You may not be the only person from your place of work or group of friends planning to attain their health goals in the New Year.

Being part of a team can be the best way as you encourage each other. You can turn the goals meant for the year into a friendly challenge.

You can transform your lifestyle at the beginning of the New Year. Ensure you have everything in place and keep your goals simple.