New Year, New Goals!

Happy New Year!  Congratulations! You made it through the holiday season! It is such a tough place for a bariatric patient to be since there is food everywhere. If you fell off the wagon some during the holiday season, don’t feel bad. We are human and it can sometimes be tricky staying on course. It is a new year, which means it is time for a fresh start. Many people make resolutions on the things they want to achieve, such as losing weight or working out. The New Year brings so much hope and excitement, which can make it easy to feel good about the goals you want to achieve. However, the honeymoon stage will end, and you will be tempted to step away from your goals. So, let’s talk about ways you can keep your resolutions and stay on track on your weight loss surgery journey.

It is so important that you set SMART goals. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound. You must ask yourself the following questions: what do you want to do, how will you know when you have reached it, is it in your power to accomplish it, can you realistically achieve it, and when exactly do you want to accomplish it. By asking yourself these questions, you will be able to create a SMART goal which will set you up for success on your journey.

It is also important to set realistic goals. For example, it might not be realistic to say you want to lose 50 pounds in a month. Instead of focusing on such a huge goal, set smaller goals that will help you achieve that larger goal. For example, set a goal to go to the gym 3 days a week. If you don’t set realistic goals, you will more than likely get discouraged, which will eventually cause you to drop your goal altogether.

Holding yourself accountable is also something you need to take note of. We make excuses all the time, but if you are serious about achieving your goal, you will be strong enough to hold yourself accountable. It will be difficult to do this sometimes, but if you stay true and honest with yourself, you will keep track of your success and make appropriate changes when needed.

The New Year is so refreshing! I encourage you to take the time to set healthy goals for yourself. When we have something we are working towards, we are a lot more motivated to make healthy choices. This time of the year is exciting, and you have 365 new chances to give yourself. Take charge of your life and use this time to get back on track towards a healthier you. You got this!