How to Hit Your Health Goals

 

Smart health goals are the key to creating healthy habits that last.  But reaching them can be quite a challenge.  If it were easy, everyone would be running marathons and sporting 6-packs!

 

If you struggle to stay on track towards your health goals, you are not alone. Less than 40% of people last year hit the goals that they had set for themselves.

 

So, why is it so hard?

 

When you have been following the same habits for a long time, those habits become ingrained into your subconscious mind.

 

Your subconscious mind holds onto these familiar habits because it is trying to keep you safe by sticking to what you know. That is why it is so hard to change habits.

 

Hard, but not impossible!

 

Here are three important tools to help you shift those habits, and reach your health goals!

 

1. Make SMART Health Goals

 

Making smart goals is going to help you build healthier habits.

 

When you make unspecific goals that don’t have any parameters on them, it is easy to just forget about them.

 

Here is an example of a SMART goal:

 

I am going to eat 5 servings of vegetables every day for the next month to help me lower my blood pressure.

 

This is a specific goal, that you can measure, and you have a deadline, so you will know if you have succeeded.

 

It is great to set big goals for yourself like,

 

I am going to lose 20 pounds by the end of the year.

 

But, it is also important to set smaller goals in order to reach your larger health goals.

 

You aren’t going to lose weight or lower your blood pressure unless you make goals to improve your diet, sleep, and stress levels.

 

Try to make your goals as specific as possible to help you build those healthy habits.

 

Some great goals to set to get to your target weight or blood pressure levels are:

 

• Going to bed earlier
• Shutting off electronics at least two hours before bed
• Increasing fruit and vegetables in your diet
• Drinking more water
• Exercising

 

These are just a few examples. There are tons of lifestyle changes that you can make to help you reach better health.

 

Try setting two or three goals like the ones above with a timeline of about 4-6 weeks to turn these practices into habits

 

Always be as specific as possible. Include the number of servings of vegetables, OZ of water, and hours of sleep that you plan to get.

 

If you slip up one day, don’t beat yourself up about it. Everyone makes mistakes. Let it go and get back on track!

 

2. Long-term Health Goals Means Staying Accountable

 

A supportive community that is invested in seeing you succeed is an important part of staying on track towards your goals.

 

If you are working toward better health all by yourself, and no one even knows about your goals, then it is easy to fall off track and no one is the wiser.

 

If you tell someone about your plan, you are more likely to stick to it.

 

Signature Analytics, “Accountability Partners and Why You Need One” explains that an accountability partner is proven to help people stay on track.

 

Having a coach is the best way to make sure you are staying on track. Professional coaches are highly experienced in creating plans that ensure success!

 

If you do fall off the tracks, they will ensure that you hop right back on and help you make an action plan to prevent it from happing in the future.

 

If a coach isn’t in your budget, find a friend or a community who is also working on improving their health.

 

You may have a friend or spouse who wants to take the journey with you. You can both set your goals and share them with each other. Make sure to check in with each other at least once a week to ensure that you are both staying on track.

 

The gym and online are other great places to build a community of people who want to help you succeed!

 

3. The Key to Nutrition & Fitness Success is Consistency

 

Consistency is the key to success!

 

Transformation isn’t about just the goal. It is about the work that you put in every day.

 

Every time you hit your water intake goals, or choose a healthier option at a restaurant you are making strides towards your goals!

 

It is the cumulation of thousands of small choices that truly make a change.

 

Focus on one day at a time. Stay dedicated to your goals and you will be living a happy, healthy life in no time!

 

Now that you’re ready to set your healthy eating goals check out the, “Top 10 Foods That Lower Blood Pressure”