Start Strong: Strategies to Jumpstart Your Health and Weight Goals

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• RELATED EPISODE: Mindset Shift for Staying on Track with Healthier Eating Habits
• RELATED EPISODE: Why Waiting Until the New Year to Lose Weight is a Mistake

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Read the Transcript:

Start Strong: Strategies to Jumpstart Your Health and Weight Goals

Welcome back to the Eating Habits for Life podcast! I’m so glad you’re here. Today, we’re diving into a topic that many of you, especially my fellow career women and women in healthcare, might be contemplating as we approach the end of the year: Getting a Head Start on Your Weight and Health Goals.

This time of year often prompts us to reflect on our achievements and consider what we want to accomplish moving forward. So, let’s take this opportunity to explore how to set effective goals that align with your values, break them down into manageable steps, and cultivate a belief in your ability to achieve them.

Finding Goals That Align with Your Values

First and foremost, let’s talk about the importance of aligning your goals with your personal values. It’s easy to get caught up in societal expectations or what others think you should be doing, but real motivation comes from within.

Start by asking yourself some essential questions:

• What do I genuinely want for my health and wellness?
• What are my top three values? For instance, these could be family, health, career advancement, or self-care.
• How do my health goals align with these values?

For example, if family is a core value for you, consider setting a goal to prepare healthy meals together on weekends. This not only supports your health journey but also fosters connection and quality time with loved ones. If self-care is a top priority, you might set a goal to dedicate at least 30 minutes each day to a self-care activity, whether that’s meditation, reading, or a short workout.

When your goals resonate with your core values, you’re more likely to stay motivated and committed to achieving them.

The Importance of Stretch Goals

Next up is the concept of stretch goals. I want to emphasize how crucial it is to have not just realistic goals but also ambitious stretch goals. Many of us tend to underestimate what we are capable of, particularly if we have faced challenges in the past.

Let’s say your realistic goal is to lose 10 pounds over the next three months. That’s fantastic! But what if your stretch goal was to lose 10 lbs. and run a 5K? This stretch goal pushes you beyond your comfort zone and ignites your belief in what’s possible.

Consider someone who aspires to be a published author. If their only goal is to write one page a week, that’s fine, but what if their stretch goal is to finish an entire book by the end of the year? This could create a powerful driving force, making them more likely to dedicate time to their writing each day.

The reality is that those who accomplish significant things often didn’t just set small, easily attainable goals. They dared to dream bigger. By setting both realistic and stretch goals, you foster an environment where belief in possibility thrives.

Breaking Goals into Manageable Steps

Now, let’s explore how to break your goals down into manageable steps. This is vital because tackling a big goal can feel overwhelming. But when you break it down, you make it feel more achievable. Here’s how you can do that:

#1 Identify the End Goal

Clearly define what you want to achieve. For instance, your stretch goal might be to lose 20 pounds in the next 3 months.

#2 Break it Down into Small Steps

Divide the goal into smaller, actionable steps. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds, you might break it down like this:

Week 1, leave 2 bites of food on plate at lunch and dinner and add in a 20 minute walk 3x/week.
Week 2, swap pasta for a whole grain like quinoa, increase your hydration from 2 bottles of water to 2.5 or 3 for the day, and continue with the other changes.

Each week, you’d just add on more small changes. And this is just a quick example I just made up right now. This isn’t necessarily how I do it with my coaching clients, because everyone is different.

#3 Make it Easier

Our brains like easy, so make it easier on yourself to follow through. For example, write yourself reminders, set alerts on phone, set out items you might need ahead of time.

#4 Celebrate Small Wins

Recognize and celebrate your progress along the way. Perhaps you could reward yourself with a fun outing or treat yourself to a new workout outfit when you hit your monthly milestones. My clients personally love the internal rewards of the positive emotions they feel after following through on intentions.

Whatever you choose though, celebrating small victories reinforces positive behavior and keeps you motivated. Our brains are kind of like little kids and need encouragement and rewards.

Shifting Your Mindset: Overcoming Perfectionism

Now, let’s address a mindset aspect that often holds many of us back: perfectionism. As career women and healthcare professionals, you may be used to excelling in your field, which can create a trap where you feel you need to be perfect in every area of your life, including your health.

Perfectionism can lead to a fear of failure and create a cycle of self-sabotage. If you hold yourself to an unrealistic standard, any small misstep can feel catastrophic. For instance, if you slip up and eat a dessert when you had planned to skip it, you might feel like a failure and abandon your entire health plan. This kind of all-or-nothing thinking is detrimental and can lead to giving up entirely.

Instead of aiming for perfection, I encourage you to focus on progress. Embrace the fact that it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them. The key is to recognize that every step forward, no matter how small, is still progress toward your goal.

Building Belief in the Possibility

Now, let’s dive deeper into how to cultivate belief in your capability to achieve your goals. Our brains are wired to use past experiences to predict future outcomes, which can create a sense of fear and doubt.

To counter this, actively seek evidence of your past successes. Reflect on challenges you’ve overcome before—no matter how small. Maybe you successfully managed a complex project at work, balanced family responsibilities during a busy season, or learned a new skill. Remind yourself of these accomplishments regularly.

Here’s a powerful exercise: create a “Success Journal.” Each time you achieve something, no matter how small, jot it down. This practice reinforces a positive mindset and helps you see the evidence of your capabilities, building a stronger belief in your potential for success.

Additionally, it’s important to acknowledge that you are not defined by your past failures (or your successes either). Often, our brains take any past setback and use it as evidence to predict future results. This tendency is a survival mechanism—our brains want to keep us “safe” by conserving energy and sticking to what we know.

Instead, challenge those thoughts. Whenever you hear that inner critic telling you, “You can’t do this,” respond with counterarguments. For example, if you think, “I’ve failed at losing weight before,” remind yourself of times you succeeded in other areas or how far you’ve come in your journey.

Teaser for Next Week’s Episode

Before we wrap up, I want to give you a quick teaser. Next week, I’ll be diving into a mini episode for Monday Mindset focused on a mindset shift that will drastically help you achieve your goals. I’ll share practical tips that can help reframe your thinking and propel you toward success. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it!

The Value of Coaching

As we explore your journey toward achieving your health and weight goals, it’s crucial to recognize the value of personalized support. I invite you to consider how 1:1 coaching with me can make a significant difference in your transformation process. Through a free 60-minute consultation, you can discover if my coaching approach is the right fit for you.

In our consultation, we will take a deep dive into your unique circumstances, challenges, and aspirations. My coaching philosophy is rooted in a proven process that is completely tailored to you. This personalized approach means that together, we can develop strategies that align with your specific goals and lifestyle.

No matter what you ultimately decide, the consultation itself offers tremendous benefits. You’ll gain clarity on why what you’ve been doing isn’t working and what approaches could be more effective for your specific challenges.

You’ll leave with a stronger belief in your ability to achieve your goals, feeling encouraged and hopeful about the future. Many women have shared with me how their initial consultation not only provided them with clarity but also rekindled their hope. They walked away feeling empowered and ready to take action.

Wrapping up this Episode of Eating Habits for Life

Thank you for joining me today! I hope you feel inspired to take action on your health and weight goals. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection, and you have the power to achieve incredible things. As we move into the new year, take this time to reflect, set meaningful goals, and believe in your capacity to succeed.

Don’t hesitate to reach out for your free consultation—I’m here to support you every step of the way. Until next time, take care, and remember that you are capable of transforming your relationship with food and creating lasting change in your life!