How to Achieve Your Health Goals in 2009! (Have a Wonderful New Year)

Have you noticed that some people who set health goals in the new year actually go out and complete them, while others have a go, get discouraged, and have given up within weeks? In my years of clinical practice treating hundreds of people, I’ve noticed that those who succeed use different techniques, and I’d like to share those techniques so you too can succeed with your health goals this year.

1. The first major difference is between ‘commitment’ and ‘interest’. If you’re ‘committed’ to achieving your health goal, you’ll do whatever it takes to get there. (You’ll feel pretty good about yourself when you succeed too.) If you’re ‘interested’, you’ll do what’s convenient and give up at the first hurdle. (Guess how you’ll feel then?)

2. Be specific about what you would like to achieve. Rather than just ‘get fitter’, write statements like ‘work out three times a week’ or ‘learn to run five kilometres’. Rather than ‘eat healthier’ write specific targets like ‘replace red meat with seafood four times a week’.

3. Beside each goal, write the first actions that take you in that direction. For example, if your goal is to work out three times a week, your first action is to join the gym or to engage a personal trainer. If your goal is to eat seafood four times a week, visit the seafood shop and buy that week’s seafood meals.

4. Display your goals in a place where you’ll be reminded often. Fridge doors are ideal, as are bathroom mirrors.

5. Enlist the support of your friends and family wherever possible. When someone else knows your goals and what you’ve committed to doing, it makes it easier to keep your own promises to yourself! Enlisting the support of a trusted health professional can help you stay on track too, as you’ll be required to ‘report in’ regularly!

6. Celebrate and reward yourself every time you reach a goal.

7. Finally, recognise that you won’t do it perfectly the first time around. Everyone wanders off the path towards their goals from time to time. The ones who get to the finishing line of success are the ones who got back on track as soon as possible and kept heading in the direction of their dreams.

Good luck!