Join this week’s Habits of Health® Webinar, Evaluating Your Progress and Finishing 2020 Strong, on Wednesday, December 2nd at 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. CT/5:30 p.m. PT, hosted by Independent OPTAVIA® Coach, Joanna Mitchell.

HOW TO CONNECT:
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/113312513

Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll):
+1(646)558.8656

Or Dial (US Toll):
+1(646)558.8656

And Enter the Pin: 113312513#

While things may look a bit different this year, the month of December is undoubtedly a highlight of every year: the holiday season, virtually connecting with friends and family, and spreading holiday cheer to others!

Then the holiday festivities are over in the blink of an eye, and we’re left to focus quickly and prepare for the start of the new year. Having an action plan in advance to avoid making unhealthy decisions or slipping back into unhealthy patterns is essential, as is creating a strategy NOW to prepare for the new year before it arrives!

One of the easiest ways to define your strategy is to consider how you can successfully reach your goals. We recommend revisiting the “SMART” system. Here is an example: you want to incorporate a regular fitness routine into your schedule, but you aren’t quite sure how to start or what to do. Maybe you have never exercised before. That is perfectly fine! By using the “SMART” system, you can take baby steps and start your journey for the new year, one step at a time.

Follow these examples before you outline your own goals:

S: Specific. Instead of, “I’m going to get in shape,” say, “I am going to walk a mile in 17-minutes by February 1, 2021.”

M: Measurable. Instead of declaring, “I’m going to walk regularly,” try “I am going to walk for 20-minutes at least three days a week.”

A: Achievable. If you are new to exercise, do not expect to run a marathon on your first day or even run at all. It is important to start with baby steps and then build upon them! Celebrate each victory, no matter how small!

R: Realistic. Tell yourself, “I’m not going to miss a workout. Ever.” But, in reality, kids get sick, bosses call emergency meetings, and tires go flat. So instead, make yourself a promise you can keep, like “Beginning January 1, 2021, I will get on the elliptical for up to 30 minutes, five days, or more per week. I will allow myself two or more rest days per week without feeling any guilt.”

T: Time-based. Schedule your workouts as if they are important meetings you have throughout the week at work, or with your children, and honor that commitment to your optimal health and wellbeing. Make it easy by setting dates for when you want to accomplish your goals and write them on your calendar. Having that visual reminder will help hold you accountable as you start the new year and start working to engrain these habits into your routine.

Additionally, you can turn your goals into reality by taking advantage of a vision board. Collect pictures of your WHY, cut out images in magazines that inspire you, or find motivation through quotes and other meaningful words, similar to what is posted to OPTAVIA’s Facebook Page, every week. Use these inspirational words to motivate you and post to your board. Once you’ve captured goals through imagery, you’d be surprised how much clearer your focus and determination will become.

There’s just one more essential step to take in the last few weeks of the year, and that’s connecting with your Independent OPTAVIA Coach BEFORE you set your 2021 goals and put your SMART plan into play!

BY ALL MEANS, INVITE YOUR EMOTIONS ALONG, BUT INVITE THEM TO STAY IN THE PASSENGER’S SEAT!

We’ve all heard the old sayings “look on the bright side” or, “view the glass as half full,” but why is positive thinking and understanding your emotions necessary for achieving optimal health and wellbeing?

Positive thinking and proper control over your emotions can lead to more confidence, improve your mood, and combat adverse thoughts, which can lead to unwanted stress and contribute to other health problems.

Recognizing how our emotions are structured is the next step toward transforming unhealthy habits to healthy habits when faced with a difficult or uncomfortable situation. This practice is easier if you use Stop. Challenge. Choose.^®:

• Stop. Take a slow, deep breath to help control your emotions. Recognize that you are triggering an unhealthy habit. Pausing and taking a breath helps to regain control.
• Challenge. Think about why you are responding to the situation the way you are. Remind yourself of your goals and the choices you should make to reach these goals.
• Choose. Make the healthy choice that gives you a similar reward but is much better for your long term health.

Here are some tips for creating a positive mindset and understanding your emotions:

• Positive affirmations: Positive self-talk can be calming and control stress. Try starting your day by talking in a positive way. Saying, “I can do this ,and “I will try my best”, or “I can handle this by taking one step at a time”, will help keep your mindset open to developing positive thinking that eventually develop into habits.
• Turn “setbacks” into “set forwards“. Instead of focusing on a time or occurrence that set you back from achieving your goals, identify how you could have handled it differently while using this opportunity as a lesson to grow and move forward.
• Breathe. It’s critical to take reflective time to do a breathing exercise at the beginning of your day, when you have a midday break, or prior to bed time. Deep breaths cue the brain to calm down, and allow you to refocus or slow your thoughts.
• Surround yourself with positive people. Reach out to me, your Independent OPTAVIA Coach, or OPTAVIA’s supportive Community to talk through any challenges you may be facing on your health journey. Use your social network, or reach out to a friend or family member to seek advice.

If you haven’t already watched our transformative video series, featuring Your LifeBook – Elements 01-26, on CLIENT ANSWERS, please engage and take a deeper dive into each element. These videos, Your LifeBook, and me, your Independent OPTAVIA Coach, can give you the tools to empower yourself to create optimal health and wellbeing.

~SPECIAL OCCASION EDITION ~

When special occasions arrive, we sometimes find our healthy habits to be challenged.

Focusing on staying on Plan and implementing Healthy Habits now, will build a solid foundation for achieving your goals as we approach celebrations. Here are some tips for making healthy choices:

• Have a plan of action. When a challenge arises, have a game plan for how you will succeed. When faced with a decision between a healthy or unhealthy choice, remember that making the healthier decision will give you a greater reward in the long run.
• Fuel yourself before dinner. Have a small meal or Fueling before you have a big holiday meal to avoid overindulging. Remember to also keep your water bottle with you at all times.
• Focus on friends and family. Let your loved ones be the focus, not food. Try planning an activity with your family instead of a sit-down dinner to get everyone moving.
• Enjoy yourself. Use this time to focus on yourself by getting some extra sleep, trying a new exercise, or taking some extra meditation time. Health is not just about looking your best; it’s also about feeling your best. Taking care of your wellbeing is the catalyst for making other essential healthy changes.

Don’t wait for a specific calendar date to embrace or resume a healthy lifestyle. Start implementing these healthy habits now and become a happier and healthier you. Instead of starting on the New Year, you’ll already be tracking toward your goals.

Ask me, your Independent OPTAVIA Coach, about other ways to stay on Plan as we kick-off yet another seasonal milepost on our journey to health.

Reprinted from the HOH Newsletter 11/9