Do you want to live healthier? Is being fit one of your goals? If there is no plan to achieve what you want, you only have a dream or a wish, not a goal. To reach your goals, you need to create a plan of action and put forth the effort to follow that plan. If your goal is big, it may sound overwhelming, but you can change all that by breaking it down into smaller, easier-to-achieve weekly or daily goals. Identify what it will take to make your goal a reality, then determine the steps to get there. Before you know it, you’ll achieve your goals and maybe surpass them.
Create SMART goals.
SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. You can’t just say you want to lose weight, you have to identify how much you want to lose. You have to be able to measure your goal, whether it’s losing weight or lowering blood pressure, or you won’t know when you reached your goal. Is the goal achievable? If your goal is to grow 8 inches taller, but if you’re an adult and no longer growing, growing 8 inches is impossible. Is the goal realistic? Do you want to lose weight, but won’t commit to giving up junk food or changing your diet, it’s not realistic. Do you have a deadline? Without a deadline, you’ll always put off starting until tomorrow.
Design a plan of action and start with a healthy diet.
Know yourself. Are you better at making one change at a time, just “dipping your toes in first” or are you a “jump in with both feet” type of person? Know yourself and start by doing what will bring the most probable success. Maybe you start with just one aspect, like giving up food with added sugar or highly processed food.
Are you living a sedentary lifestyle?
Your body needs to move to be fit. If you don’t stay active, you won’t be able to be active when you want to be. Progress doesn’t occur overnight. Start with small changes and stick with them. Add an exercise program. You can begin by walking a half hour a day or break it up and do three ten-minute walks. Once you develop the habit, create a formal exercise program or stop in for a consultation. We create personalized nutrition and fitness programs and provide the support to stick with them.
- Just focusing on increasing your daily activity, such as taking stairs instead of an elevator or walking more and walking faster, can be a place to start. We identify your level of fitness and create a program that matches it.
- Eating slower is one way to reduce the amount you eat. It also aids digestion. Drinking an 8-ounce glass of water before a meal is another way to reduce caloric intake.
- Create a sleep schedule to get adequate sleep. Lack of sleep causes a hormone imbalance. Your body creates too much ghrelin—the hunger hormone, and too little leptin—-the hormone that makes you feel full.
- Big goals are exciting but can be overwhelming. Break them down into smaller, easily achieved goals to experience success quickly and stay motivated.
For more information, contact us today at Hawaii Fit Camp!
