Welcome Back to a happy and healthful 2021
After a fantastic break over the Christmas and New year holiday period, I am looking forward to 2021. I am in the habit of starting each New Year by setting some goals. Setting goals helps us to achieve what we want in life. Psychologists are interested in goals as a useful strategy for behaviour change. Goals may be written for all areas of our lives (home projects, career, financial, health, relationships, attitudes and hobbies). My focus here is good health. Features of good health goals include being:
Realistic Your goals need to be both achievable and relevant to you. While taking on challenges can be rewarding, it is important to also keep them achievable. Remember while most of us will neither be supermodels nor world class athletes, we still can enjoy the benefits of eating well and being more physically active.
Positive. Write your goals in a positive way. Goals need to be something that you would like to work towards, rather than avoid. Write your goals as something you want more of (for example eating vegetables every day) and eating more meals at home, rather than something you would like less of (for example eating less takeaway foods).
Specific. Use detailed language to describe what you want. Avoid broad and generalised words like to “be happy” or “healthy”. Try to break these down into more specific goals and behaviours. For example joining an exercise class and making time to spend with friends and family.
Your health goal for 2021 might include achieving 5 kg weight loss in 6 months.
You will then need to identify smaller sub goals to help map out an action plan to reach your goal:
- Base main meals around eating 3 or 4 low energy vegetables each day
- Try a new vegetable each week
- Snack on fruit between meals
- Keep a weekly menu plan to help you shop & plan lower energy meals
- Aim to exercise for 30 mins 5 times a week
- Choose to drink more water and low energy drinks
- Switch to lower fat dairy products
- Experiment with low fat cooking methods such as grilling, barbequing and poaching
Celebrate your successes!
For an individualised diet assessment and personalised diet plan with clear goals, book an appointment with Susan.