Did You Know? Winter 2009

By Paula Hendricks - Nutritionist on March 1, 2009

Goal setting is a habit that successful people use in everyday life. 

What are your goals for 2009?

If you are reading this, chances are one of your goals this year is to get healthy and fit.  When it comes to getting healthy, being fit, and sound nutrition, goal setting can help you reach your potential.  It need not be complicated – one only needs the mindset to get started.  The body will follow and soon goal setting will become second nature.  So, get a pen and paper (or your computer) and get started.  Remember, goals that are not written down are just wishes.  Written goals provide a concrete reminder of what you want to do so you can plan how to achieve it. 

Develop goals that are specific, achievable and measurable. Your goals should be 1) specific (concrete, measurable and observable), 2) realistic (small changes), 3) stated positively (no negative wording), and 3) under your control (not depend on another person).  For example, you may have a list: lose weight, save money, get off my diabetic medication, take an educational course, exercise more, take a trip, lose 15 lbs, etc. Don’t be overwhelmed by your list – these are goals to work towards, one step at a time. 

Next, organize your goals by categorizing them into anticipated results (or outcomes), broad goals and specific goals.  For example, an anticipated result may be to decrease blood sugar levels and get diabetes under control, so a broad goal might be to reduce intake of processed foods and high sugar carbohydrates.  A specific goal, a more concrete goal, could be to eliminate starch from diet for two weeks and incorporate 2 servings of nutrient-rich vegetables into lunch and dinner each day.   Look at the examples on table below. 

Now that you have a plan, keep a weekly diary.  This list should include your exercise plan, eating protocol, and personal motivation guideline for the week.  A weekly diary will help you maintain momentum towards achieving your goals week after week which can otherwise be difficult if you don’t have a tracking technique, a daily plan, without which it is too easy to get off track.  View the chart on the following page.  You can copy this chart and use each week or modify to suit your own needs.  Some people prefer to use a simple pocket calendar or spiral notebook with enough space to record a days’ worth of information, while others prefer a spreadsheet on their computer.  Use whatever works for you and what you will use.  Keep your weekly charting sheets for review and continual motivation. 

  How to use this chart:  Fill in the date on first line.  Fill in the dates you will grocery shop.  We recommend shopping at least twice per week for the freshest ingredients. Next, pick one or two new foods to eat this week.  Food variety is important for obtaining all the nutrients your body needs and to help you from getting bored and getting off track.  One can only eat so much chicken and broccoli.

For exercise, plan what you will do for the entire week.  Modify as needed.  If you plan your exercise, you are more likely to stick with it. Remember to choose a variety of exercise activities including strength training, aerobics activity, outdoor activities, and stretching.  Try to do something every day.  Make exercise a routine until it becomes a daily habit. Exercise should not be thought of as “If I have time” but “What time will I exercise each day.”  Refer to the fall 2008 Did You Know handout on exercise for more ideas. 

Next, pick a theme for the week, a personal motivational word, saying, or activity that will help keep you focused in the right direction.  Let go of old or negative mental habits and replace them with positive ones.  Again, the written word is a concrete reminder of your plan for success.  Once you find the right theme, the theme mobilizes you to move forward.  Theme suggestions:  creativity, balance, let go of the past, adventuresome, try something new, love myself, do something for someone else, eat more vegetables, clean out my closet, get energetic, move my body every day.  At the end of the day, give yourself a motivation score by using the following:  1 = none, 2 = minimal, 3 = good, 4 = great, 5 = excellent.

Document what you consume for each meal.  Write down the food type, quantity, and total grams for each meal.  For example, for lunch you consumed a small salad with small chicken breast and a low-fat salad dressing.  Write down the items and estimate the grams using your Key Diet booklet as a guide:  For this meal, approximate grams would look like this:  Protein = 21g, Carbs = 4 g, Fat = 3g.  At the end of the day, summarize.  Don’t get too technical – the goal each day is to have a balanced diet and optimal protein intake.

Keep track of your supplement intake, water intake, and any prescription medications you are currently taking.  Just put a check in the box when you complete it.  Under water intake, you may want to make a check for each 8 oz glass of water/liquid you drink during the day. 

Review your goals each week and modify as necessary.  Set modest and achievable goals – you want success, not failure because of unrealistic goal-setting.  As circumstances changes, goals may need to be amended with additional options or strategies.  If your goals seem too ambitious and you would like more structure, please ask our office staff for assistance. 

If you feel keeping a diary is too time consuming, too stressful, and too much work, remember what it feels like when you are eating whatever you want, whenever you want, not exercising, and gaining weight. Think about it – keeping a diary doesn’t require much time and you will spend less time emotionally and physically frustrated with your unsuccessful results. 

Now that you are prepared for every day goal setting, you are on a surefire path to having your best and most successful year ever.  Studies on weight loss success show that people who keep diaries are twice as likely to achieve their goals.  Don’t you think this is pretty convincing evidence to start now? We think so. On the last page, we have put together some additional tips on how to make 2009 a successful year for health, fitness and overall well-being.                               

By Paula Hendricks, Nutritionist and Wellness Counselor

Weekly Food Intake and Exercise Chart

Motivation Score:  1 = None, 2 = Minimal, 3 = Good, 4 = Great, 5 = Excellent

01-23-09 The Center for Weight Management (copyright) 

9 Simple Tips for 2009 to Have Your Best Year Ever!

Set Goals – Get started on planning and achieving your personal health and fitness goals.  As Galileo said, “You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself.”  Goal setting will help you find it within yourself.  Get organized.  Plan ahead for meals.  Clean out your cupboards, fridge and closets.  Purge what you don’t need (give it away) and start fresh. 

Save Money – Weight loss saves dieters money and much more.  Losing weight and getting healthy will help cut your costs for medical appointments, missed time from work, and prescriptions to name a few.  By reducing your weight, you will spend less on food especially if you eat breakfast at home, pack a lunch, and plan your dinners wisely.  What if you were laid off work today?  Wouldn’t you be more optimistic about your chances of finding a new job easier at an ideal weight instead of 50 pounds heavier?  Invest in your health and save money. 

Stay Focused – Don’t let others derail you by sabotaging your health or fitness goals.  Sabotage is when you are caused to doubt yourself or your efforts are undermined.  Oftentimes friends, family, and co-workers are not supportive of your desire to change or succeed – sometimes it is intentional, sometimes it is unintentional.   Change can scare people and they may try and resist it.  It could be that they lack confidence in themselves and may be faced with the thought of making changes of their own – and they may not be ready.  Some strategies for dealing with sabotage: set boundaries, decide who and when to tell people about your goals, just say no, and plan ahead for activities based around food.    

Move More – Do something good for your body every day.  Write down what you will do for exercise each day and stick to it.  Invest in a gym membership, buy some exercise equipment or DVDs for home, or get an exercise partner or trainer.  And, buy a good pair of walking/running shoes.    

Get Smart – Don’t be taken in by fads, gimmicks or tricks.  Be savvy about the sugar content in foods you eat by reading the nutritional labels.  Choose whole foods, nutrient-dense foods, not calorie-dense foods.  Just because a food says low-carb doesn’t mean it is a quality food.  And beware of portion distortion; check the serving size on the nutrition label, too.

Choose Premium Protein – Protein will help you feel fuller longer and help control your appetite.  Meats lean in saturated fat and minimally processed are the best choices.  For example, beef tenderloin is naturally lean, while a rib-eye steak contains almost twice the amount of fat.  Both have the same amount of protein but the fat content greatly increases the calorie content.

Go Green – Eat foods that are good for your body and the planet.  Think vegetables.  Whole, fresh foods require less energy from the planet than packaged foods.  Be savvy about the right carbohydrates for your body – eat the real stuff, the ones that nourish your body.

Age Gracefully – If you want to take care of the outside of your body, you must start from within. By eating right, exercising, and supplementing with vitamins and minerals, you can help minimize the age-related decline of your body cells.  With supplementation, you will also boost your immune system which will help increase your chances for longevity, long-term health and reduce illness.  It is an honor to age – earn those wrinkles and love them!   

Be Kind to Yourself – Let go of the past and say goodbye to negative thinking or failed dieting attempts.  Nothing in life is a failure, only a lesson to learn from.  As the saying goes, “Those who don’t learn from their past are doomed to repeat it.”  If you have a lapse, limit the damage, and restart the program right away.  Don’t wait until tomorrow, next week, or next month.  Start the next meal new and fresh.  Every day is a new day, a fresh start for goal setting and success.  Remember, life is a journey, not a destination.

                                                                   By Paula Hendricks, Nutritionist and Wellness Counselor

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