Happy December! The year is almost over, but that doesn’t mean it is time to take a break from working toward your goals. Whether you have financial goals, career goals, personal development goals, or health and fitness goals, take some time this month to work toward and even achieve some of your goals.
I have created the exercise below to help you develop an action plan that will move you closer to your reaching your goal. Remember, not every goal has to be a big, dramatic outcome goal. For example, if your health goal is to ultimately lose 15 pounds, you probably won’t be able to do it in a month (at least not in a healthy sustainable way). However, you can set a few process goals such as doing 20 minutes of exercise 3-4x per week and eating 5-7 servings of vegetables daily. Practicing the process goals will get you moving on the path to your ultimate outcome of losing 15 pounds.
Let’s expand this example to this month’s exercise:
3 things I will accomplish this month:
Lose 3 pounds
Stick to my holiday buying budget
Read 1 personal development book
2 actions I can take:
Lose 3 pounds
Exercise 20-30 minutes 3-4x per week
Eat 6+ servings of vegetables daily
Stick to holiday budget
Buy gifts using only cash not credit
Create a gift buying list and purchase only what is on the list
Read 1 book
Decide what book to read
Read 15-20 minutes daily and take notes
1 thing I can do today:
Eat my veggies
Write my gift buying list
Get up 15 minutes early and read
If you follow this 3-2-1 plan, I guarantee you will be on your way to achieving not only your monthly goals but your ultimate outcome goals as well.
Good Luck! Have Fun! And remember, if you have questions or want assistance creating your goals, I am here to help. Email me at achievewellness@ymail.com, or click the button below, to set up your 1-on-1 coaching session. Together we can develop a personalized action plan to get you the success you deserve!
1-on-1 Lifestyle Coaching session
Spend time working 1-on-1 with a lifestyle coach to develop a personalized plan of action that will help you reach your goals. Sessions are 45 minutes and can be down via telephone or FaceTime.
Whether you call your higher power Spirit, Universe, God, Yahweh, Allah, or Goddess take a moment today to get quiet and make a connection to that higher power.
Your Higher Power knows what you need to do to move forward in the direction of your goals AND it wants to help you do so, however if you are closed off from the wisdom and guidance of your Power you will not receive this knowledge and the path to successful achievement of your goals will be little red with roadblocks.
In making a connection your Higher Power, you create a bond that puts you in the vibration of that higher power and allows you to hear the messages your Power sends to you and the trust you need to follow this message. Listen to what your Higher Power tells you, express gratitude for the message, and take steps to honor or follow the wisdom you receive.
Each morning, I take a few moments to make this connection: I find a quiet place to sit, take a few breaths, clear extraneous thoughts from my mind, and ask the Universe, “What can I do today to be of service to others?” Then I listen for the Universe’s answer. Within a minute or two, I receive a message/thought from the Universe. Often it is an action I can take such as writing a blog, being more present with clients, or sharing my knowledge. Other times it is more of a thought or feeling, “Trust me”, “Relax and have fun”, or “Just be happy”. When I take the Universe’s advice my days flow smoothly and I am calm and relaxed. On the days I forget to follow my message the day inevitably has a few hitches and I feel anxious and rushed.
Make connecting to your Higher Power a daily habit, learn to trust the messages you receive, and take action. I guarantee you will find the journey to your goal easier and more enjoyable.
Don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook and have a happy healthy day!
If you are like most of my friends, clients and coworkers, Monday is always a bit of a drag. I mean, how many times have you said, “TGIM?”
Fortunately, there is a great way to beat the Monday Blues and get your week started on the right foot, play the gratitude game!
Gratitude has a myriad of physical and psychological benefits which include: increased feelings of happiness, greater ability to relate to and get along with other people, better self-esteem, greater success in achieving goals, and a stronger immune system. Who couldn’t use a little of those things on a Monday?
To play the game, make a list of at least 10 things for which you are grateful. Take a few minutes and do it right now. Write it on a sheet of paper, put it in the notes on your phone, or share it with others in the comments below, then notice how you feel after you are done. I guarantee you will feel happier and more positive about the week to come!
Achieve Wellness is growing and I am looking to add a few new clients to our nutritional guidance program.
This program teaches participants simple, effective lifestyle changes that can put you on the road to the best body and best health of your life. And thanks to the techniques you learn in the program you’ll learn how to stay there. No fad diets or short term results here. In fact, this is a long term program that progresses you slowly so you have time to absorb and master your new habits. If you are in a rush to lose weight, this is not the program for you.
If you are interested in finding out how you can finally learn to live a healthy life rather than diet, click the link below and fill out our “New Client Survey”. Space in the program is limited, so don’t wait too long.
If you are like most people I know, your hectic schedule often means you have no time to the little things, often they get put aside so as to get seemingly the more important things done. Like this year’s resolution to eat healthy, for example! We miss meals, eat wrong food groups, grab meals on the run, all for the sake of saving time. Along with the failure to exercise, many forget the problems this life style can have on our health and wellness. We get run down, over weight, stressed out and sometimes worse. These symptoms are a reminder from our body that we need learn better eating habits.
If you’re currently not eating a healthy diet, it can be difficult to get started. However, healthy eating along with some exercise is very important for maintaining a good bodily function and goes a long way towards living a disease-free life. If you struggle with healthy eating, then you know that breaking unhealthy habits can be the most difficult part of the process. Therefore, if you truly want to live the best lifestyle possible, it is important to follow tips in order to start eating a more healthy diet.
A great first step when you want to start eating your way to a healthy life style is to rid your home of all temptations that will distract you from following better eating habits. Ideally, it would be a wise to keep junk foods and beverages out of your house so as not be tempted to snack during the day. If you’re worried about getting hungry, keep healthy snacks like carrot sticks, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-wheat crackers on hand. If you find that you just cannot bear to toss out the sweets, try keeping something tiny on hand, peppermints or miniature chocolates. Eating a few, (emphasis on few) of these won’t ruin your diet but also will give you that little sugary fix you rave. I buy full-sized chocolate bars and break them into pieces which I keep at my office. Before I leave work I grab a piece to bring home with me for an after dinner snack.
Another great step to healthy eating, when you’re first starting the process, is to take a few moments to learn what foods are the healthiest for you and how they work within the body. To start eating healthily we must begin by thinking healthily. Most people understand that fruits, vegetables, and low-fat meats and dairy products are good for you, but few people understand why. The key is learning about nutrients. When you understand how specific nutrients work and why you need them, it becomes more reasonable for you to make healthier choices for your body. Knowledge really is power!
Preparation is a major key in commencing a new healthy diet. You must take into consideration your schedule for meals. If you often eat in a hurry at odd times of day, you’re more inclined to grab a rushed meal which will probably do more harm than good. So plan ahead! Instead of grabbing a fast food lunch on the go, take a bagged lunch to work, complete with a healthy wrap and some fresh fruit and vegetables. Remember not to forget your evening meal, a simple plan to have a meal ready before you get home would be perfect, but in our fast paced life style, sometimes this just can’t be done. One way to solve this problem is to plan out your evening meals for the week, on your days off. Perhaps just before you do your weekly shopping. Another warning: when going to the shops, do not venture there hungry because you are more likely to pick processed low nutrient foods. That becomes the first break in your healthy eating. Also shop the outer edges of the store and stay out of the middle aisles where many of the unhealthy food options live.
Initially you may find it very difficult to make the necessary changes to healthier eating. Along with the difficulty of change, you may not feel well for a short period of time. Usually this is normal as your body is adjusting to your new and improved life style and is cleansing itself from the unhealthy toxins built up from poor eating habits. However if this feeling continues or you are worried a visit to your doctor would be the correct thing to do.
Start with baby steps. Even if you only replace one soda a day with a glass of water, you are really improving your calorie intake. If you eat fast food every day for lunch, try replacing that half of the time with better quality foods. When you start by taking small steps you aren’t cutting out all of the foods you love all at once. By taking your time to learn about your eating habits and slowly replacing them with better meals, by taking the time to learn and understand why you should be doing that and making the necessary changes in an orderly fashion, you will feel much better within yourself physically, mentally and emotionally and well on the road to becoming as healthy as you can be
No matter how well you plan, prepare, and pack your meals, there will be times when something comes up that interrupts your best laid plans. An unexpected business call, a long line at the bank, or overtime at your child’s soccer game can mean you miss a meal or need an extra snack.
One of the tips I give my clients for this situation is to have a snack attack plan. I encourage my clients to make a list of quick healthy snacks they can pick up at the convenience store, coffee shop, or drug store. Then I suggest they keep the list on their phone. That way when the need for a snack arises they can dash into the store with a “shopping list” of acceptable treats. This not only saves them time by limiting the amount of time they spend looking for a snack but also prevents them from grabbing the closest possibly least nutritious option.
A few of the snacks I recommend are:
String cheese
Greek yogurt
Hard boiled eggs
Low carb protein shakes
Apples
Or
Serving size hummus
Taking a few minutes to create your own list can ensure you make healthy choices on the go!
Welcome to week #8 of 2018, the week when most “New Years resolutions” become a distant memory.
So, what about you?
Are you sticking to the goals you set for yourself this year?
Do you even remember the goals you boldly set for 2018?
This week is a great time to recommit to your goals. If you have not written out your goals, get them on paper. Next, set a reminder on your calendar to review your goals on a regular basis. You can decide how often you review your goals but read them over at least once per month.
Once you have reviewed your goals, ask yourself, “Am I taking action to achieve my goals on a regular basis”? Any action, however small, gets you a step closer to what you want to achieve. Even baby steps are better than no steps. However, if you are not paying attention to your goals life may get in the way and you might forget to take those steps.
I review my goals every 5 days. I read each one and ask myself what I have done over the past few days to move closer toward successful achievement of the goal.
You do not have to be taking action on every goal every week. For example, one of my goals is to take a painting class this year. It is not a high priority goal and so I have been focusing my attention on my financial and career goals. But, each week when I review my goals I see my painting class goal and am reminded that it is on my 2018 “to do” list. Had I not committed it to paper and if I was not reviewing it regularly more likely than not it would not get done.
If you are serious about sticking to the goals you set for yourself this year, recommit to them by writing them down and reviewing them regularly. Take action, even if it is just a tiny step, and your success is assured.
Need help recommitting or acting on your goals? I can help you create an action plan that will get you moving in the right direction. Email me at achievewellness@ymail.com for a complimentary 15 minute consultation.
A few days ago I recommended finding a buddy to workout with (Find a Buddy) to help keep you motivated, accountable, and give you support.
Who you choose as a workout buddy depends upon what type of partner you want.
Do you want someone to serve as a role-model or mentor for your fitness endeavors? Then you may want to pick someone with a more experience and expertise then you have.
Are you looking for someone to help push you to the next level in your fitness journey by serving as a spotter and maintaining your form? If so, you choose a buddy with similar strength and skills as you. Your workout buddy will expect you to be able to return the favor by spotting them and ensuring they perform exercises safely.
Perhaps you simply need someone to help keep you motivated and offer encouragement as you travel down your path to fitness. In that case, a close friend, family member, or life coach may be all you need to reach your goals.
If you want a buddy to workout with look for someone who has similar goals and schedule. If you want to get leaner and stronger and your partner wants to run a marathon, it is unlikely either of you will reach your goal. It’s also essential that your workout buddy is as committed to the goal as you are. Also, if you and your partner aren’t available at the same time then your workouts won’t workout.
Regardless of which type of workout buddy you choose make sure your partner has a positive supportive attitude.
Finding a workout buddy can keep you focused on your goals and help ensure your success.
Whether your goal is to lose weight, run a marathon, or just start eating healthier, having a health and wellness buddy can help you stay on track. Sharing your wellness journey with a friend or family member gives you someone to be accountable to and keeps you motivated. Studies show that having a support system increases your chances for success.
While it is best to find a buddy that shares your goal, anyone who can offer support and guidance can be your ally.
If you are like most of my friends, clients and coworkers, Monday is always a bit of a drag. I mean, how many times have you said, “TGIM?”
Achieve Wellness 