The problem most people have when approaching the problem of improving their overall health is the lack of attainable and worthwhile goals. The great Yankee’s manager Yogi Berra was once quoted as saying if you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else. Goals play a number of different psychological roles within an individual. They set the groundwork for action. The provide a sense of direction and a sense of purpose. They also provide a measuring mark for improvement. One can relate their relative progress in terms of how close they are to obtaining their goal. The important things when it comes to the average person and settings goals is that they must select goals that are not completely unrealistic, but that still push them to achieve something great. The following goals are set out to give you an idea of the kind of goal setting I am speaking of. Obviously, the goals that you choose to achieve will vary according to your own personal inclinations, dispositions, and current health states.
- Run a Half-Marathon – Running a half-marathon is an achievement that others have expressed to me that they are very proud of. To put it simply, running is not something innately enjoyed by the average person. Yet, there are a number of different ways one can go about training for a marathon and many running experts actually denounce the act of simply running to train for such an event (though it should obviously play a large role.) Other modes of training such as swimming, participation in other cardio-intensive sports (such as soccer or basketball), and high-rep low-weight weight training. The average person is nowhere near running a half-marathon, but the joy that overcomes a person when crossing that finish line is second to none.
- Climb a Mountain This may not be a measuring stick of health that many are familiar with, but I can speak from personal experience that climbing a mountain is one of the most grueling physical challenges I’ve ever participated in. I often find comfort in knowing that it is incredibly unlikely that I will be physically tested the way I was when climbing a mountain when approaching new physical challenges. Training to climb a mountain, at least for me, involved weight training, endurance training (in whatever manner you choose to do so), and learning the technical skills necessary to carry out such a feat. Not only are you likely to meet some pretty interesting people during the process, but there are few words that can describe the feeling of looking down on the world from something you’ve conquered.
- Obtain a Fitness License – One of the most fruitful tools one can have in the search to improve their health is knowledge. Obtaining a fitness license involves learning what it truly means to become healthy, and how to go about doing that properly. You should obviously try and match the license your pursing to an innate interest of yours, whether it’s to obtain your fitness instructor’s license, becoming a yoga instructing, or teaching a Jazzercise class. The pursuit of this goal will put the subject of fitness and health at the forefront of your mind throughout the entire process, making you a more health conscious and health aware individual.
- Remove Three Unhealthy Eating Habits from your Life – Whether they like to admit it or not, people have an innate understanding of what is good for them and what is not. We know that eating a large fast-food meal probably isn’t the best thing for you (how many people feel like going for a jog after a Big Mac?). Choose the three unhealthiest food habits you have an completely remove them from your diet. Whether it be your favorite candy bar or your mom’s fried pork chops, it is likely that the health improvements will be more than noticeable by then end of the six months. Expected improvements from a better diet include: better overall mood, increased supplies of energy, weight loss, improved skin and reduction of acne, and improved sleep.