As a new year begins, you may be buzzing with new ideas and brimming with motivation.

Get healthy. Lose weight. Eat better. Yeah, it feels good!

But you may also hear a tiny voice in the back of your mind saying, “Hold on a minute. Weren’t these your goals last year?”

If this is true for you, and you feel like you are setting the same goals year after year and not making much progress, then it’s time to do it differently.

Here are 4 steps to set healthy goals this year, and actually achieve them.

1. Go Review.

Goal setting should begin with a thoughtful review of the previous time period. Get a pen and notebook out. What goals did you set last year (or last month?) Work strategies did you employ? What worked and what didn’t work? Why?

For instance, if your goal was to eat healthier meals at home, but you found yourself relying heavily on take out or frozen, processed meals, why did that happen? Was it due to a lack of menu planning? Something else?

2. Get Real.

Now that you know why you may not have reached your goals previously, consider your current circumstances. How much time is available for cooking and exercise? What pockets of time could be carved out for these activities?

If you did not exercise regularly because you had planned long workouts at the gym and you have 3 kids and a full-time job, then it’s time to set a more reasonable, achievable goal.

3. Get specific.

Now that you know what worked and what didn’t, and you have your current circumstances clearly in mind, set some specific goals.

If you want to “eat better,” what does that mean to you? It might mean trading that no or fast-food breakfast for a green smoothie that you make at home in a blender. Or it might mean having healthy, whole food snacks portioned and ready to go in the refrigerator.

4. Go Gradual.

Are your “get healthy” goals usually all or nothing? Do you try to change everything overnight? If so, how long does that last? Sudden and extreme changes work for some people, but if you are like most of the population, this approach fails fast.

Consider implementing phased or gradual changes. If your diet could use an overhaul, start with the smallest change that will yield the biggest result. Swap the sodas and sugar-laden coffees and other hidden calorie beverages for fruit infused waters and herbal teas. After you have successfully implemented this change for several weeks, make another swap. The goal is to make healthy changes that stick.

So what are your healthy goals this year? Could you use some knowledgeable support to help make it happen? Book your complimentary 30-minute Discovery Call with me today.