Tis the season of resolution making! If you are like most Canadians, your number one resolution is to improve your health and physical fitness. But, sometimes that can be easier said than done.
Two key tools can help you reach your healthy living goals: a solid wellness plan – like WW FreestyleTM, and a mindset shift that sets you up for success. Read on to discover how you can put both in place in 2019.
Six tips for success
Catherine Thorburn, a Toronto-based life coach who offers personal, career, and business coaching, sees people struggling with goal-making all the time. And one of the reasons, she says, is because they don’t start with a vision of the bigger picture.
1. Be realistic
“You don’t want to set yourself up for failure,” Thorburn says. For example, if your goal is to make exercise a regular part of your life, but you currently don’t exercise at all, then setting a goal to run a marathon right away may not be realistic. Instead, a goal such as putting your running shoes on and going for a walk every other evening might be more doable.
2. Have a vision
Make your goal a fully realized vision, Thorburn advises. The key is to create tangible goals that have value to you. For example, setting a goal such as, “I want to have a relationship” isn’t a fully realized vision. Why do you want to have a relationship? What are you looking for in a relationship and what would one bring to your life?
3. Take turtle steps
Thorburn, who studied under author and Oprah Winfrey Show life coach Dr. Martha Beck, recalls something her mentor said: Break goals into turtle steps.
“I think there is so much power in that,” Thorburn said.
You are more likely to reach small goals, which will naturally make you feel accomplished.
4. Be accountable
How you track your progress toward reaching your goals is up to you. If you are a visual person, using charts may be helpful to you. Others may like writing, so keeping a diary, food journal or exercise log may be useful. Some people might just need reminders on their phones to stick with their goals or, if exercise is their goal, a fitness tracker might help. Even just talking about your goals can be helpful – to keep herself accountable, Thorburn tells people about the goals she’s set.
5. Dealing with setbacks
When it comes to dealing with both setbacks and successes, it helps to be open and honest with yourself.
If you’ve run into a setback, Thorburn says to take a look at what caused it. Was it something within your control? If the root of the setback was within your control, she says ask yourself if your goal was unrealistic in the first place. Consider adjusting your goal to make it more achievable.
6. Handling successes
Again, small goals are key. The simple achievement of doing something you set out to do, however minor it may be, can have an impact on how you feel about yourself. And if it feels good to recognize yourself for meeting these goals, even the little ones, Thorburn says take a timeout to celebrate your achievement.
On the flip side, Thorburn says, it is very human and healthy never to be 100 per cent satisfied with ourselves. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to achieve more.”
As the new year rolls in, Thorburn says it’s a good time to set a fresh goal – provided you’re not just setting one because it’s that time of year and you think that you should. Think about the goals that mean something to you, and see the value in them. Create a vision for yourself and the goals you want to reach this year, and have a wonderful, rewarding 2019.
WW Freestyle - Proven to help people lose weight, sleep better, and feel happier.
The WW Freestyle program is just that: freeing! With so many different foods that you don’t have to measure or track, you have more time to live your life and do more of what you love. (Not to mention how much flexibility ZeroPoint foods add to your SmartPoints® Budget. No matter how you make no-count options part of your menu, keep these tips in mind to maximize your enjoyment—and success.
The more you know...
As our Science team likes to say, these foods "form the foundation of a healthy eating pattern," which is to say: Put 'em on the menu! Understanding the "why" behind ZeroPoint foods—from fruits and vegetables (the OG ZeroPoints foods) to beans, fish, unsweetened nonfat yogurt, and more—as well as the "why not" for certain foods (dried fruit or nonfat milk, for instance) in these categories can help guide you to best-for-you choices.
Find the balance
Yes, ZeroPoint foods and WW Freestyle are freeing—but it doesn't mean they're a free-for-all. Just as with foods that have SmartPoints, eating sensibly and to satisfaction is the way to go. If you didn't eat three chicken breasts at a sitting before they were zero Points, why do it now? Similarly, while you might be tempted to try for a zero Points day—and that's fine, if you really want those foods and nothing but—you'll probably find you're missing out on the flavours of other foods with SmartPoints. Deprivation doesn't work, and can slingshot you into the other extreme of overdoing SmartPoints. WW Freestyle is yours to work as you like, but you will probably find it goes most smoothly when you are enjoying both zero Points foods and foods with SmartPoints, if not at most meals, then most days for sure. Speaking of enjoying foods....
Build your meals
With more than 200 ZeroPoint foods to choose from, just thinking about meal planning might feel overwhelming. Use ZeroPoint foods as bases such as tofu and fish can help you understand how to work them into your plan. You can add other low- or ZeroPoint foods that complement your base, such as asparagus with your salmon or sautéeing mushrooms to partner your tofu. Round things out with a low SmartPoints food that’s high in flavour to spice up your meal (literally)—or a small amount of a richly flavoured food that's higher in SmartPoints, like Parmesan cheese. Then, enjoy!