Set Short And Long-Term Goals For Healthy Lifestyle Changes

If you are wanting to get healthy in the New Year, starting those habits can be a daunting task.

Local Dietician Holly Bundrant said the best way to start is to set an achievable goal. Because many people tend to “fall off the wagon” if they do not see immediate results, one solution is to set both a short-term and a long-term goal.

“You know start with something they know they can do and then work towards that long-term goal,” Bundrant said. “Maybe possibly starting with a food-related goal and then an exercise-related goal is a good way to start.”

Bundrant said another big piece to success is to have accountability. She said having someone that you can report to or be encouraged in the process will help you continue being goal-minded.

Bundrant said there can be several factors for slip-ups, including setting goals that are too far down the road or not seeing immediate results. She said the best thing to do is to give yourself grace, and continue working towards your health goals.

“You can always set up a plan with a local dietician or nutritionist to help in the process,” Bundrant said. “We can help calculate how many calories someone might need based on height, age, weight. There are also online resources, and one I like is myplate.gov. They even have calorie-level plans someone can follow.”

Bundrant said another helpful tool could be keeping records of trends for their eating and exercise habits.