{"id":17679,"date":"2025-10-22T08:35:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T08:35:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=17679"},"modified":"2025-10-27T16:43:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T16:43:38","slug":"2026-and-you-making-a-health-goal-plan-for-lasting-lifestyle-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/2026-and-you-making-a-health-goal-plan-for-lasting-lifestyle-change\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 and you: Making a health goal plan for lasting lifestyle change","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

With the new year often comes a focus on health. Many of us have made new year\u2019s resolutions to get healthy and lose weight, but without a road map, these resolutions often fall by the wayside. This year make your resolution stick by developing a plan that will help you achieve your health and weight-loss goals.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Know your starting point<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are many factors involved in one\u2019s overall health and well-being. Age, family health history, weight and fitness level all affect your health goals and the length of time it will take to achieve them. A good starting point when setting a health or weight-loss goal is an assessment of your current health and the habits and behaviors that are standing in your way.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself thought provoking questions and write down your answers. What are a few behaviors that come to mind? For some it may be skipping meals all day only to come home overly hungry and eating a large meal before bed. Others may have challenges with late-night eating. Allow yourself to have an open mind and limit judging yourself or feeling guilty.<\/p>\n

Your primary care provider can also help you with this assessment and identify any risks to be aware of as you embark on your health and weight-loss journey.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Set goals<\/strong><\/h2>\n

After you have a good grasp of your current health, you should define your goals based on the areas you\u2019d like to focus on. This could be weight loss, eating better\/clean eating, exercise and fitness, life balance, or a combination. Before setting lofty health goals, it\u2019s important to do a little research and learn what\u2019s realistic for you and the steps you need to take to get there. Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Create a road map for change<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Now that you have identified your goals and the behaviors keeping you from achieving them, pick one or two behaviors to focus on that will make the greatest impact.<\/p>\n

Questions to ask yourself:<\/p>\n