New Year, new goals? While resolutions might seem silly or outdated, research shows that people who set goals are more likely to achieve their desired results. Moreover, connecting resolutions to something you care about (i.e., an event, milestone achievement, or birthday) increases the likelihood of success. Ready to start planning? Tune into this week’s Fox 17 where Dr. Bitner discusses how to set goals for 2024 successfully.

Fact #1: 

Health goals are essential to achieving an optimal lifestyle and avoiding chronic illness. Heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers are preventable with planning and commitment to healthy living. Start by asking yourself: What do you want? Then, take what you want and flip it to a positive goal. For example, your initial goal could be, “I don’t want heart failure like my mother; she couldn’t even go on walks with her grandchildren!” The positive version of this goal is, “I want to be able to walk with my grandchildren until I am 90.”

Fact #2:

Anyone can do ‘easy’. Instead, try picking a challenging goal and identifying potential barriers to achieving said goal. For example, you want to be able to hike with your family on the Montana trip next summer (goal). However, you are currently suffering from knee pain and have not worked out in several months (barrier). Possible solutions to overcome this barrier include seeing a physical therapist, learning to increase strength, improving diet, and setting an exercise regimen. Having strategies in place to achieve goals increases the likelihood of success!

Patient Story: 

Jane used to love skiing, but life got busy, and she last skied years ago. Her ex-husband also hated skiing, which did not help motivate her. Last spring, her kids’ friends went skiing during Spring Break, and her children hoped to go next year. Jane was determined to not only take her kids on Spring Break but also to ski with them. She set three goals: get in shape, save money to afford the trip, and ski again. Jane began meeting with a trainer and exercised daily for 30 minutes, combining strength training, stretching, and aerobic fitness. She put a picture in her bathroom of a woman skiing and looked at it every morning for inspiration. Jane also started saving money each week. Now, her trip is two months away, and she is so excited that her dream trip is within reach!

Health Tip of the Week: 

Use the new year as an event to set a challenging health goal to reduce your risk of illness. Consider a time or event that matters to you, identify barriers, and devise strategies to achieve your goal. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your tribe and put your actions on the calendar to track progress. You got this!

Watch the full segment.