Setting Goals for a Healthy Life

Setting Goals for a Healthy Life

Setting goals is a great way to make a positive change in your life. If you want to succeed at reaching your goals you may want to try these simple ideas. 

Think about it. Imagine your goal every day. If you want to lose 100 pounds then you need to imagine yourself doing it. Imagine yourself at your goal weight. Imagine all the great and healthy foods you can eat to get there. Imagine yourself exercising and moving more, to increase your calorie burn. Don’t just think about it when you set the goal, but keep it foremost in your mind. Your thoughts are one of your most powerful tools in your effort to reach your goal. Using positive affirmations can also condition your brain to better health. Saying things such as, “I am fit, strong and healthy” and “I love the extra energy I get from exercising” in front of the mirror every morning and night will help program your brain and make those things a reality. 

Write it down. If you don’t write your goal down you are only wishing. If it is written down one time, that is a good start. If you write it down 10 times a day, and doodle it in the margins of your papers it will be reinforced and become a driving force and make reaching your goal easier. 

Tell your friends and family about your goal, and they will encourage you in the attainment of it. If you keep it all to yourself, you have no accountability and won’t feel compelled to fulfill it. It is easy to think, “I need to exercise every day” but there is a different dynamic when your best friend or family member is asking, “Did you exercise today?” 

Give yourself a reward for making progress. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds, celebrate when you lose the first five. It is motivation and encouragement to do more. It is also positive reinforcement for continuing on in your plan of action to making this goal a reality. 

Give yourself a break! You don’t have to be perfect at reaching your goal. If you are making progress towards it, slip up, but then get right back on track then things are going in the right direction. Contrast that to making progress toward your goal, slipping up and then giving up because you weren’t perfect. In the first instance you are right back on track. In the second your goal will never b e attained because you quit. Allowing yourself to be human and make mistakes makes reaching your goal possible. No one can be perfect all the time or keep to their plans of action at all times. 

Be patient! Goals take awhile to reach. It isn’t going to happen overnight. Setting mini goals on the road to your larger goal will help make it seem more possible. Starting small is a great idea. If you plan to drink more water, you can slowly add it in and stop drinking sodas and juice and over time you will have changed that habit. Same goes with exercise. Start with today. Exercise one time today. Then slowly add days until you are working out the number of days you desire. Setting mini goals is a great way to advance on the dream in a realistic manner and seeing all the successes you have had can be a great motivator. 

Use all the tools at your disposal! Join a gym. Join a team. Have a walking buddy. Pre-cook your healthy meals and have them ready to heat and eat. Take a multi-vitamin to be sure you are getting in all the nutrients your body needs. Read motivational literature. Talk to your friends and set up rewards for milestones. Work with a dietician. Get a personal trainer. Take essential oils. Bulk up on protein and add whey supplements to add muscle mass. Drink green tea to boost your metabolism. Get plenty of sleep. Drink plenty of water. 

Taking it a step at a time and doing many little things can help you to reach your goal. 


Source: www.articlecity.com
Author:Gerald Fitz