It’s January 2020! What New Year’s resolutions have you made? Studies show that most people make some sort of resolution for the new year. However, not many people actually achieve their goals throughout the year. In fact, about 80% of people quit their New Year’s goals before February is even over–just 6 weeks into the year! What gives? Many people want to achieve their health goals throughout the year, but life gets busy. Schedules fill up, determination wanes, and it can be hard to reach goals without someone guiding you. Here are some of the top health goals people in the U.S. make each year, tips for achieving your own and some health goals to get started with!
Health Goals–Did Yours Make the List?
According to the CDC, “The overarching goals of Healthy People 2020 are to: attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death; achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups; create social and physical environments that promote good health for all; and promote quality of life, healthy development, and healthy behaviors across all life stages.” Put more simply, those goals are:
- Live longer, high-quality lives
- Be free of preventable diseases, disability, injuries and premature death
- Have great health
- Eliminate disparities
- Improve all health groups
- Create healthy environments for all
- Promote a better quality of life
- Healthier physical and behavioral development of all people.
These are goals that health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have. When it comes to individuals, the most common New Year’s health goals include:
- Eating healthy
- Exercising more
- Saving money
- Focusing on health
- Getting enough sleep
- Improving finances
- Managing stress better
- Improving relationships
- Procrastinating less
- Taking more personal time
- Getting a new/better job
Did any of your goals make the list?
Setting SMART Goals
Forbes reported that it’s smart to only make 3 goals for your year instead of making a full list of goals. Why just 3? Studies show that when you make way too many goals, you become overwhelmed and you may actually end up achieving none of your goals. “You simply do not have enough time or energy to complete them all.” You also don’t know what goals deserve the most of your time. Sticking to a basic set of 3 goals will help you ensure that you actually achieve those goals. Then, you can work towards more successfully.
We say to set “SMART” goals, because this is proven method for reaching health goals, school goals, career goals and any other type of goal you have. SMART goals means that the goals you write down are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-Bound
When setting your health goals, be very specific in what you want to achieve. Don’t simply say, “I want to lose weight.” Instead, you may say, “I want to lose 10 pounds by the first of April and I will do it by doing _____.” Make the goal very specific. Then, measure out the steps you will take to achieve the goal you’ve just set. What will you do daily, weekly and monthly to make your health goals a reality? How often will you check in with your progress?
Make sure your goals are attainable and are actually important (relevant) to you. Set goals throughout the year (such as every 3 months) to have specific parts of your health goals achieved. These steps will help make you successful instead of the 80% that quit on their New Year’s health goals in February.
Top Health Goals for Better Health
No matter what health goals you have, some of the most important are goals involving your exercise, diet, and sleep habits.
Many people will exercise to their heart’s content and still not lose weight like they want to. What gives? The nutrition aspect of their goals may be lacking. Some studies report that losing weight and getting in shape is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. You must focus on both to see real results. The American Heart Association recommends getting at least 150 minutes of exercise each week to avoid chronic conditions. You can exercise more for weight loss. That’s only about 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days a week.
To have good health, lose weight or reach fitness goals, you need at least 6 essential nutrients in your diet each day. Those include protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats (like from nuts and grains), water, vitamins and minerals. Limit your soda and sugar intake, as these are empty calories without nutritional benefits for the body. Plus, these substances lead to chronic conditions and will hinder you from reaching your health goals.
You may also struggle to have good health and proper weight loss if you’re not sleeping an adequate amount each night. Experts recommend that adults receive 7-9 hours of sleep every single night in order for proper body function. Sleep is the only time your body has to recover from the day. Your brain cleans out toxins from the entire body, stores memory, and your body repairs damaged cells. These are just a few of countless processes that happen when you sleep.
Set Great Health Goals with Guidance
Setting goals is easy. Sticking to them can be harder, especially when you have physical limitations, chronic conditions, or a busy schedule. Those who enlist the help of others to achieve their goals are much more likely to reach their health goals.
We work with patients every day to improve their health, reduce symptoms of chronic conditions, eat healthier, and be more active. We can help you be accountable to your health goals and know how to achieve them easier. To get started with your health consultation, call Spine Correction Center of the Rockies today at (970) 658-5115!
