As summer draws to a close, it's a great time to reestablish healthy routines at work and in social settings. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track with your journey toward optimal health and wellbeing while making the most of your daily life.

While at Work

Stock your own stash. Make sure you have healthy OPTAVIA Fuelings on hand so you can avoid temptation. OPTAVIA bars and shakes make ideal snacks for you to enjoy every 2 to 3 hours, that fit into your healthy lifestyle.

Don’t sit when you can stand. Staying stationary for long periods can harm your health. Our bodies are built to move. Standing for an extra 2 minutes a day can help with achieving your goals.

In Social Settings

Check the menu before you go. Dining out with friends can still be an enjoyable activity while on Plan. It just takes a little advance preparation. Look at the menu online and select a meal that fits into your Plan or can be customized to fit within your Plan. This allows you to focus on friends and family while you’re out rather than stressing over your menu selections. The OPTAVIA "Dining Out Guide" is a great resource to empower you to make healthier choices in social settings.

Offer to host. Bring the fun to your home. Offer to host an event at your place so you can manage what’s served and stick to your Plan. If you are invited to a party, volunteer to bring a healthy dish that you and your friends can enjoy.

Remember, routines have the power to help us manage our health along with our work, home and community lives. Connect with me to talk about how you can make the most of your efforts while on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time^®.

As we move toward the end of 2023, now is the perfect time to revisit your previous goals and add new goals for the remainder of the year!

If you plan on setting new goals, you can strategize by using the "SMART" formula. SMART is a tool that helps provide clarity, focus and motivation to achieve your goals. It encourages you to define your objectives and set a precise completion date.

For example, when you are ready to incorporate a regular motion routine into your schedule, but you are not quite sure how to start or what to do, consider using the steps of the SMART system for outlining goals:

• Specific. Your goals should be clear and focused, so you are genuinely motivated to achieve them. When creating your goals, determine exactly what you want to accomplish and why your goals are important to you.
• Measurable. Having measurable goals allows you to track and assess your progress. Instead of thinking "I'm going to walk regularly," try, "I am going to walk for 20 minutes at least three days a week."
• Achievable. To be successful, your goals should be achievable. If you are new to exercise, don't expect to run a marathon on your first day, or even run at all. Instead, start with baby steps and build on them. Celebrate the little victories that add up to the big ones!
• Relevant. Your goals should make sense for you. Carefully consider what some of your long-term health aspirations are. If you want to move more, then set SMART goals that incorporate motion into your days. Make sure your goals make sense for your lifestyle and resources you have access to. Your goals should be something that you can do — not too easy, but not too difficult either.
• Time-bound. Every goal should have a target date, so you have a deadline to focus on and work toward. It's important to give yourself a practical timeframe to achieve your final objective. Set dates for when you want to accomplish your goals and write them on your calendar. Having that visual reminder will help keep you accountable.

Forming SMART goals effectively provides the clarity you need to start the second half of the year strong!

Let’s discuss other ways to practice SMART techniques to achieve your goals on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time.

Living Out Loud

OPTAVIA started as a means for weight loss for Christina, but she realized very early on it was so much more. “Yes, I lost 40lbs*, but I was also learning how to create a healthy lifestyle for my family and myself.” OPTAVIA has helped break the lifelong generational habits she grew up with. “It’s helped me and my family understand the importance of eating enough protein and eating vegetables every day (sometimes reluctantly).”

Christina now shows up as the best version of herself daily. As an OPTAVIA Coach, Christina appreciates the unique opportunity of offering the gift of health to others. “For many years I believed volunteering at my children's school or the kid's ministry at church was the way to help and impact people, until I discovered the value of Coaching.” By walking alongside friends, family and strangers who become family on their journeys toward transformational health she discovered a passion she never knew she had!

Christina feels blessed to have mentors in the OPTAVIA Community who have paved the way and established a system that is easy to follow. “With their constant support, training and encouragement, I can provide my Clients with the best version of ME as their Coach and guide them to success on their health journeys and sustainability in optimal health.”