NEW YEAR, NEW YOU….BUT WHERE DO YOU START?

This is the most common theme every new year – jumping into a “new” health and fitness routine, making resolutions to improve different aspects of your life, one of the primary areas being health and wellness.

It’s not about the desire to change. It’s not about wanting to look or feel better. There are actually 3 important questions you should be asking yourself before you commit your time, energy, and hard-earned cash to ANOTHER diet or fitness program.

Question 1 – What Has to Change In Your Life In Order to Meet Your Health Goals?

It seems like the obvious question here would be “What Are Your Health Goals?”, but that’s not actually an important question. An Outcome Goal is an arbitrary thing: I want to lose 20 pounds; I want to eat healthier; I want to exercise more; I want to be less stressed. There is nothing wrong with having an outcome in mind. 

But the harsh truth is, if you knew how to meet this outcome goal already, you probably would have done it by now.

That’s why the more important question is, WHAT HAS TO CHANGE to meet your health goals? Doing what you are currently doing is not working, otherwise goals would be met. So, what has to change?

Question 2 – What Changes Are You Willing to Make to Meet Your Health Goals?

Again, this probably sounds a lot like the first question, but it’s actually very different. What HAS to change means you are IDENTIFYING the things that aren’t working and acknowledging what should be done differently. 

Example: Your OUTCOME is to exercise more, but what has to CHANGE is you need to MOVE more (I’m keeping it very simple for now), so WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO? 

What CHANGES are you WILLING to make in order to move more? Are you WILLING to get up earlier and go to the gym or go for a walk? Are you WILLING to jog, swim, or cycle? Are you WILLING and ready to block out time each day/week to commit to moving more?

Because identifying what HAS TO CHANGE and CHANGES YOU ARE WILLING TO MAKE are, in reality, separate issues. I can understand in order to eat healthier (outcome goal) I have to eat less sugar (what has to change), but not want to skip out on my morning caramel macchiato (change I am willing/not willing to make).

Which leads to Question 3 – What Changes Are You Able to Make to Meet Your Health Goals?

ABLE is the key word for this question. It is very easy as a health coach, a personal trainer, a nutritionist, dietician, etc., to tell you the changes you need to be making to meet your goals. You are aware that changes need to be made. There are things you are willing to do. But sometimes the ability to make those changes can get in the way for different reasons.

It can be money – you simply don’t have it in your budget to pay for a gym membership or to buy completely organic/grass-fed/free-range/etc., foods for you and your family. 

It can be time – between kids, job, spouse, house, activities, etc., you don’t have the time to cook elaborately, plan or prep special meals, or have an hour workout session several times per week.

It can be a lack of support – as a busy mom, we do not live in a vacuum. We have commitments and responsibilities, and as we make changes in our own life, those changes bleed into the lives of our families, friends, and co-workers. And some may not like those changes. A spouse or children may not want kale soup for dinner – they want nuggets with mac and cheese. Friends don’t understand why you’re skipping out on drinks or dessert during girls’ night (“It’s only ONE night, live a little!”). Co-workers get offended that you’re not eating the cookies they brought for the breakroom when you were their biggest fan previously.

Whatever your situation may be, the question WHAT ARE YOU ABLE TO CHANGE is going to factor heavily into the outcome of meeting your health goals. And let’s be honest, as a busy mom you’re exhausted. You may be ABLE to get up at 5am to go workout, but you simply might not want to if you’ve had a long night with a sick or crying child. You may be ABLE to cook healthy meals, but might not want to mess with it if you have a deadline that’s keeping you at work late for several nights.

Your ABILITY to make changes is going to be directly impacted by what is currently happening in your life.

Once you are armed with the knowledge of WHAT HAS TO CHANGE, WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO CHANGE, and WHAT ARE YOU ABLE TO CHANGE, you can then work on a plan to set your changes in motion.

Pick one area to start. Trying to tackle too much at once will overwhelm you and you’ll quit. Don’t do that. Trying to change your eating, and exercising, and stress levels, and organization, and….etc. Don’t. Pick one area to focus on – nutrition, exercise, stress, whatever and work on that first.

Start Small. This goes back to taking on too much and quitting. Start with one small thing that is doable, almost TOO easy to do – 10 minute walk, eating an apple, 30 seconds of breathing. Stick with that for a week before you start something else.

Give yourself credit for each thing you do. Did you eat a banana when you normally don’t? Tell yourself good job. Take an extra lap around the grocery store before you start shopping? You get credit for the extra steps. ALL the small wins add up to BIG confidence and the push you need to start the NEXT area you want to work on.

Starting out the New Year, New You by asking yourself the RIGHT questions can make the difference between goals met and resolutions that never make it past the first month. And it can set you up for creating healthy habits and routines that last well into the future.

If you would like to learn how Health and Nutrition Coaching can help you meet your goals, create those healthy habits and routines, and give you the boost of support, accountability, and encouragement to change your life, Book a FREE Consultation with me.