How many times have you told yourself this is going to be the year?
The year you…
Finally lose the weight
Get your energy back
Ditch the stress and make more time for self-care
Figure out what is really going on with your hormones
Reverse your autoimmune issues and manage them naturally
Or get to the bottom of your bloating and digestive struggles
...and ultimately get back to feeling like yourself again (or for the very first time).
As most people do, you probably always start the new year with the best of intentions but quickly find yourself getting lost in the chaos of everyday life. And before you know it, the whole year has practically passed you by, and you still feel uncomfortable in your body, sick or tired all of the time.
I feel ya, I’ve fallen into this vicious cycle myself in the past.
And let me tell you, it’s not your fault if you haven’t reached your New Year’s resolutions in years past. There is no such thing as failure, only feedback. Feedback that you need a different plan of attack.
There’s more to achieving a goal than just setting one.
Marathon runners don’t just wake up one day and run a marathon. They train for it. They fuel their body for it. They buy the right clothing for it. They put energy and thought into exactly how they are going to make it to the finish line on race day. Like training for a marathon, in order to achieve your health goals you need the right plan, resources and support.
I have worked with many clients, and no matter what the goal might be, I have found these 5 tips to be critical for reaching the finish of any health goal.
1 - Focus on the why, not the what
Who wouldn’t want to lose a little weight, have more energy or control of their health naturally? Those are surface goals. It’s not what’s on the outside that matters, it’s what is on the inside that will keep you motivated.
What would having more energy, control of your health and weight do for you? How would it change your life?
It would give you more confidence. You would feel more comfortable in your skin. You would be able to focus better at work, and as a result make more money. You would be a better partner and parent. You would be able to travel the world, hike the tallest mountain, do anything you physically wanted to do with a feeling of joy. You would be limitless!
When I trained tennis competitions, sure there were days I didn’t want to get out of bed and play for hours in the heat. And when I was in the depths of healing my gut and focused on building muscle, there were plenty of times when I wanted to throw in the towel, but reconnecting with my “why” is what kept me going, and it’s what keeps my clients going too.
2 - Clear the clutter
Distractions are everywhere and the can come in any form; food, finances, physical clutter in your home, negative people who and drain your energy, or people who convince you to do things that aren’t in your health’s best interest. If you have to stare the cookies in the chocolate chip eye every day in the pantry, eventually they will get the best of you.
Give yourself time to set up your environment to support the pursuit of your goals. Clear the food out of the pantry and fridge that isn’t in alignment with how you want to be eating. Put together a budget or get your finances in order so you don’t have to worry about them, and you can focus on yourself. Take one day and organize that hall closet, garage or other cluttered space in your home. And set some healthy boundaries for those people in your life who may not be on the same path as you - instead of gossiping over cocktails, grab a coffee or take a walk and set a time limit with a reasonable excuse as to why you need to get going.
Once the clutter is out of the way you can move forward on a clear path.
3 - Build upon your existing rituals
We all brush our teeth in the morning, or at least I hope you do. This is a ritual, or a habit, and something that we can build upon.
Often times what feels overwhelming about going after your health goals is the idea of having to “create time” or space to workout, eat healthy, meditate, drink more water etc. But what if you just built upon the time you’ve already carved out, the rituals or habits you already have in place?
This really helped me build a meditation practice. I started by doing just 10-15 minutes of meditation after my corporate workdays as part of my nightly “wind down.” It eventually grew into 30 minutes and I yearned for it so much that I eventually implemented into my morning routine right before going to work.
Oil pulling is another great example for me. I do it 3 mornings per week while I prepare my smoothie - tackling two things at once! I’m all about efficiency.
Another great example that my clients really enjoy is doing their meditation in their car, in the driveway when they get home from work before entering their house. It’s a great way to disconnect from work and be present for loved ones.
Assess your current rituals and how you can build upon them with the things that you would like to be doing for yourself to support your health.
4 - Recruit the right support and resources
It’s ok to ask for help, and don’t let your ego tell you otherwise. Instead of spinning your wheels about what foods to eat, what exercise to engage in, which meditation to try, supplements to take or about anything else that might support your health goals, recruit the right experts and resources to be your guide.
As the old saying goes, “it takes a village to raise a child”, it can also take a team of experts or resources to help you reach your health goals. Set yourself up for success by hiring the right experts to hold you accountable and give you the resources you need to feel your best. Your health-goals dream team might include a personal trainer, health coach, chiropractor, acupuncturist, spiritual guide or other health professional.
YOU ARE WORTH IT
5 - Stop shooting in the dark
If you’ve “tried everything” when it comes to diet and exercise, yet nothing seems to work then it’s time to test instead of guess. You are unique and therefore your diet, exercise, sleep, supplements and stress reduction needs will be too. What works for one person isn’t exactly going to work for you.
When your attempts to lose weight, increase your energy and get your health back under control aren't working, it’s a sign that something bigger is going on beneath the surface such as hormone imbalances, liver congestion, poor nutrient absorption or fat for fuel metabolism, and your typical blood tests won’t pick up on these hidden dysfunctions.
Your results will always be lacking, no matter how many diets or workout routines you try, if you’ve got something greater going on under the hood. So stop shooting in the dark, run some functional lab tests that will give you a bigger picture of your overall health and take a more strategic, and personalized approach to reaching your health goals this year.
Let me know how I can support you more in achieving your New Year's health goals...
As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner specializing in gut health & hormones, my mission is to support busy, health-minded people like you in getting access to the right lab tests and resources so you can find the missing pieces to your health puzzle and get back to feeling like yourself again (or for the very first time!).
Here’s to you achieving your health goals this year!
(P.S. I would be thrilled to be on your team and I’m currently offering a special bonus to my coaching programs. Schedule a complimentary Discovery Session here)