Make 2016 the year of YOU

I don’t know about you, but I love the beginning of a new year.

It feels like a fresh start…a chance to review the past year and set new goals for our future. It’s also a chance to look at our whole lives and consider what parts might be out of balance, and what parts are working well for us. That’s one of the things I love about holistic health coaching! I focus on supporting my clients’ healthy choices in all aspects of their life – not just the foods they eat. As we all know, when one area of our life is out of balance or “toxic,” it can affect the health and wellness of other areas.

What can make a difference for YOU this year so you can make 2016 the year of YOU? The number one tip from health experts is:

1. Get Support. Whether you join a group, work with a health coach one-on-one, or exercise with a “workout buddy,” studies show that having support increases your chances for success by more than 50 percent! For example, with a health coach, you receive knowledgeable, nurturing and supportive guidance. You are accountable to someone with whom you can speak freely, in confidence, without holding back and without fear of judgment, criticism or consequences. It can truly be life-transforming!
2. Be specific. Don’t try to fix everything all at once. Focus on what is most important to you right now, for this year. Can you choose one goal and make it crystal clear? For example, instead of saying, “I will lose weight this year,” be specific: “I will lose (fill in the number) pounds by (fill in the date).” Or, “I will fit into (fill in the size and clothing item) by (fill in the date).” Write down one specific goal on a small piece of paper and keep it in your wallet, your bedside table, or somewhere where you will come across it often.
3. Visualize and vocalize. How will you look and feel once you have achieved your goals? For example, if you lose (fill in the number) pounds, what will you be feeling? Happy? Relieved? Confident? Sexy? Picture what you will look like, in as much detail as possible. Will you be wearing a new bathing suit and sitting on the beach? Will you be dancing in heels and skinny jeans? Will you be walking down the aisle in a gorgeous wedding dress? Visualizing yourself as already having achieved your goals will help you stay on track toward what’s truly important to you. Vocalizing means saying out loud what you would say to yourself and others after you have achieved your goals. For example, imagine talking to your friends once you have lost the weight. Say to yourself in the mirror, “I feel so great in these jeans!” or “I am excited to go to the beach in this new bathing suit! “Or “I love feeling healthy, sexy and energetic!” According to The Law of Attraction (first introduced in an 1891 essay by Prentice Mulford and made popular by the bestselling book, The Secret), when you release positive energy about a goal, as if you have already achieved it, you will attract more positive results. “Begin feeling whatever you want (even if it’s not there yet). The universe will respond!”
4. Take a “holistic” approach. Many of us have experienced “emotional eating.” That’s where the term “comfort food” comes from! Take a holistic approach to your health and weight goals by looking at your whole life and determining what parts are stressing you out or making you feel insecure or devalued. For example, if someone in your life continually criticizes you every time you are together, you may find yourself eating chocolate chip cookies after you are together to make yourself “feel better.” Or if you feel disrespected or unappreciated at work, you may turn to the vending machine for a pick-me-up. Identifying and exploring these emotional eating triggers is the first step toward undoing unhealthy habits, creating new, healthier habits and achieving your goals!

Start with these tips to help you make 2016 the year of YOU!