The end of December is undoubtedly a highlight of the year: holiday season, connecting with friends and family, and spreading the holiday cheer to others!

Like that, the holiday festivities are over in the blink of an eye, and we’re left to quickly focus and gear up for the last few days of December so we’re prepared 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 reach your goals successfully. 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, 2020.”

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, 2020, I will get on the elliptical for up to 30 minutes, five days, or more per week at my local gym. 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 we post to OPTAVIA’s Facebook Page, on a weekly basis. Use these inspiration 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 two days of December, and that’s connecting with your OPTAVIA Coach BEFORE you set your 2020 goals and put your SMART plan into play. Before you kick-off your New Year, order the NEW Habits of Health^® Transformational System as a guide and foundational learning tool so you get the most out of your journey, hard work, and striving for optimal health and wellbeing.

Though there are a couple days remaining in 2019, this week kicks off the New Year so now is the best time to reflect on our past year and establish the positive lifestyle changes you want to make in 2020.

Making a resolution begins with unyielding commitment to making something important happen.

Whether you’re a new OPTAVIA Client or a recent Client that’s decided to come back to OPTAVIA, here are some valuable tips to consider when making your plan for the New Year, one step at a time:

• Connect with your Coach. Reach out to your OPTAVIA Coach to let them know that you’re ready to compile a fresh plan for 2020 that will support you when continuing on your journey to optimal health and wellbeing. I can’t wait to help you reach your new health goals!
• Identify your WHY. Connecting with your WHY is fundamental in setting goals for your health and all other areas of your life. Personally rewarding (intrinsically motivated) goals are easier to maintain and eventually become a habit. Continue reminding yourself of your reasons for seeking change by writing them down in a journal or pinning them to a vision board where you will see them every day. This is a critical step to achieving success!
• View challenges as opportunities: The road to success will have obstacles and challenges, but it’s how you overcome these challenges that will empower you to transform. Welcome challenges as opportunities to grow by using Dr. A’s Stop. Challenge. Choose.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, how we can partner to create other measurable and achievable goals to achieve in 2020, as you continue to work towards Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time^®.

Brand NEW me!

“When I was 26 years old, my mental health and wellbeing were at an all-time low. Not surprisingly, my physical health had followed suit and the number I saw on the scale was at an all-time high.”  

Over the course of three years, Chelsi gained 75 pounds and was at least 100 pounds overweight. She was also battling depression and there were big changes happening like paying for an expensive home renovation, an engagement, and a difficult year of farming.

“Although some of those big changes were very exciting, my first thought was, ‘Oh no! I am not taking engagement photos when I can't even look at myself in the mirror!’ This was causing major stress in my life. I would always turn to food.” 

She constantly felt tired and mentally exhausted. Her ambition was nonexistent and she was overwhelmed with life on a daily basis. As a result, she would lash out at friends and loved ones.

“Every day, I was emotionally binge eating from stress, sadness, and frustration. I knew that food was not the answer to my problems, but without any motivation, proper structure, or healthy goals, I couldn't pull myself out of the slump. I didn't know where to start or what to do. I felt helpless and losing the weight seemed hopeless.”

When looking back at the last few years of her life outlined about, it was clear, it was a culmination of major life events that led Chelsi to commit to OPTAVIA’s Program and the help of an OPTAVIA Coach.

Chelsi knew she wanted to live the rest of her life with health, energy and a positive attitude, so she committed to the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan^®. With hard work and dedication, she was able to lose 55 pounds^*, putting her over the halfway mark of her goal to lose 100 pounds.^*

Today Chelsi says, “I'm a brand new me! I'm back to being an independent and I can tackle daily tasks without the mental struggle. And, I've been able to do away with unnecessary stressors to figure out what's really important!”

Chelsi’s success with the Program inspired her to become an Independent OPTAVIA Coach and since her own transformation, she has helped many Clients reach their health goals, including her fiancé who lost 72 pounds!^*

“I'm dreaming about a bright future again and I know that I can achieve whatever I want. I have my passion and love for life back—thanks to my Coach and OPTAVIA!”