With the New Year why not set some healthy goals to get the year started right …
By committing to specific health goals, you prioritise your well-being and become more mindful of how your lifestyle affects your health.
Adopting health goals can help you break bad habits, establish good ones, and improve all aspects of your life. Focusing on better health, not only physical but also mental health, can improve your relationships, your performance at work, and how you feel about yourself. Being healthy is a positive which can be achieved with little or no cost.
Your usual GP at FLOREAT MEDICAL is the best starting point for a discussion about what your health priorities are and how to set goals for short and long term health outcomes. Your GP will take into account any injuries or condition which may require consideration and integrate your health goals with your usual check-ups and care. With your GP’s advice you can choose your goals wisely and safely.
FLOREAT MEDICAL is focussed on disease and illness prevention, a physically and mentally healthy life style and optimal management of chronic conditions. Our Doctors care for the whole person, and our team support you in your health journey.
Some simple goal suggestions may be:
- Set aside 10 minutes extra to exercise daily; just a brisk walk or dance or your own physical challenge will do
- Swap out each week one or two, or as many as you can, unhealthy processed food choices for fresh whole vegetable or fruits for a healthier alternative. You will feel so much better.
- Take up an outdoor activity to get more fresh air and create a new and enjoyable routine. Being outside and sun safe gives you energy.
- Meet or chat with friends and consider telling them what you’re doing to encourage them to team up with you. Sharing your healthy story makes it easier to stick to and helps someone else.
- Spend 10 – 15 minutes per day meditating or practising mindfulness in a quiet space. Time out is so good to slow your thoughts and rest your body. You can do this anywhere!
- Use a digital well-being app to reduce your phone or tablet screen time and social media use. Finding positive engagement in the real world is the place to be.
- Contact a different family member or old friend each week that you haven’t spoken to recently. Connection is good for you, and so good for the person you reach out to.
- Keep a journal or spend time reflecting on all your positive healthy habits, so you can be accountable to yourself and feel good about what you are doing.
Not only are lots of small changes easier to maintain than one significant change, but often this will be positive lasting change that will deliver a broader range of health benefits overall.
It is easy. You don’t have to buy it in a bottle or take a supplement or be hard on yourself.
Your Doctor at FLOREAT MEDICAL can help you be positive, guide you and measure your good outcomes.
Be as specific as possible when you set your goals and clear away obstacles to success. For example, if you choose to not eat lunch at your desk then consider:
- Planning your calendar and workload, so you don’t find yourself working through lunchtime.
- Choosing somewhere local that would make a lunchtime walk exciting and pleasant.
- Finding a local café to walk to which is not too far and where you can find a tasty healthy lunch.
- If you take lunch to work, find a pleasant spot to walk to and eat outside in the fresh air, in the sun or shade.
Break your goal down to make it more achievable so you can celebrate small successes along the way. You can start small and increase excersise as you feel better, for example, you could aim to exercise for 10 – 20 minutes per day between January and March. Once you achieve that goal, you can increase the length or intensity of your exercise month by month. By the end of the year you may find you have reached your target exercise goal and are a healthier version of yourself. It feels so good to be a little more active.
Be kind to yourself and don’t beat yourself up for not doing something or forcing yourself to do things you don’t want to. Instead have a goal not to miss two days in a row. This will help you reduce any negative self-talk or pressure, and give you something to look forward to when you have a “day off”.
In 2023, you can transform your health and make profound positive changes to your lifestyle. Keep your goals simple, and ensure you have everything in place to help you achieve them, and you’re sure to have a hugely successful year from a health and well-being perspective.
Call FLOREAT MEDICAL to make an appointment with your GP to discuss what health goals may be best for you to focus on for 2023.