With 2020 underway, many of those New Year’s resolutions are off to a great start. One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight and be healthier. Although this is a great resolution, by mid-February or early March, most people have lost the desire to do better. After going all out for a couple of months, they burn out and wind up back where they started. Ideally, people who aren’t normally healthy or active should make a daily commitment instead of making a resolution at the beginning of each year. Setting smaller, realistic health goals are much easier than trying to make large changes at one time. Consider making these small goals to help with consistency throughout the year:
Realistic Health Goals
- I will exercise 2 days a week for one month
- I will increase my exercise to 3 days per week for a month
- I will add one serving of fruit/vegetables to my daily food intake
- I will add one 8 oz glass of water each day for one week
- I will add two 8 oz glasses of water each day for two weeks, etc…
- I will only eat dessert one day a week
- I will limit my soda intake to one a day/week, depending on the habit
- I will only have one glass of wine each day/week, depending on individual habits
Forming good habits is important for creating a healthier lifestyle. This involves making small changes instead of trying to make large drastic changes. For example, saying you are going to work out daily is a big promise to make if you have never exercised. But walking 30 minutes two days per week is doable and also reduces burnout.
What is Considered Healthy?
Society’s idea of being healthy is being thin, but that is not always true. There are many slim or “skinny” people that are unhealthy. They fall within a normal weight range and BMI, but they actually have higher cholesterol and sugar levels than others with a higher BMI. The point here is that to be healthy, you should be exercising regularly and eating healthy foods.
Make 2020 the last year that you set weight loss goals as your New Year’s resolution, and let it be the year that you actually accomplish being a healthier version of yourself. Small reachable goals will help get you to where you want to be.
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