Support & Guidance
7 Achievable New Year’s Goals
Don’t fall off the bandwagon by February. These goals — along with support and guidance — can make a real difference.
Dr. Justin Hoffman, ND, NMD 
It’s not so much that New Year’s resolutions are ‘bad.’ Most New Year’s resolutions are good (overall). Rather, the problem is research shows 80% of January 1 goal-setters fail by February.
In 2019, the fitness app Strava conducted a data analysis of over 800 million activities uploaded to its platform over a year. The stats show that by February, 80% of those who set out to ‘change their lives,’ gave up.
6 Keys to Achieving New Year’s Goals
1. Commit to 66 Days
A research study conducted by the University College London and published in European Journal of Social Psychology revealed that it takes 66 days for any new habit to stick, on average. The key to making real change, the researchers concluded, was to make the change for 66 days — or just over two months — straight.
2. Set Measurable Goals
It’s understandable to set goals such as ‘be healthier,’ ‘lose weight,’ or ‘eat more vegetables.’ But these types of goals are ambiguous. It’s not clear what success looks like and so it becomes pretty darn hard to consistently make choices that support these goals.
On the flip side, setting measurable goals draws upon the SMART goal concept, in which the goals set are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Trackable
For practical terms, the before-mentioned goals might be re-shaped in the following ways:
- ‘Be Healthier’ could become ‘Walk 200 More Steps Each Day’
- ‘Lose Weight’ could become ‘Lose 5 Pounds’*
- ‘Eat More Vegetables’ could become ‘Eat 1 Serving of Vegetables at Every Meal’
*Many patients may want/need to lose more than 5 pounds. That’s completely understandable. And we fully support setting bigger goals. We just also encourage patients to create smaller goals that add up to the ultimate goal. But by setting a smaller goal from the outset, it’s easier and faster to achieve, allowing the patient to set another goal and keep building upon their success.
3. ‘Stack’ Habits
Every person has habits — regular, daily behaviors. Rather than trying to introduce a completely new behavior, ‘stacking’ habits encourages individuals to build upon their existing routines. The idea is simple:
- Identify the goal (such as drinking 2 additional 8-ounce cups of water a day)
- Identify a time in the routine to add those cups (such as after brushing your teeth in the morning and evening)
4. Make Good Choices Easy
Small changes in a patient’s environment can help trigger good choices by making them easier. These might include:
- Want to walk 200 extra steps each day? Park at the back of the parking lot.
- Want to work out first thing in the morning? Set the next day’s workout clothes in a visible place the night before.
- Want to eat more fruit? Keep a bowl fo fresh fruit on the counter.
- Want to read 1 book a month? Place a book on top of your pillow each morning so you see it before going to bed each night.
5. Track Progress Visually
The reason behind setting measurable goals is (dun dun dun) MEASURING GOALS! There are a variety of ways to measure goals, but it’s best to make sure it’s something you will see on a regular basis. The more visual the better. This may include:
- A goal chart posted on the wall
- A fitness app (especially one that provides regular notification updates)
- A journal
6. Show Yourself Grace
Make no mistake about it; forming good habits is no cakewalk. It’s easy to slip up and revert back to your old ways. Don’t let that bowl of ice cream, skipped gym date or mindless reality TV binge-watching sesh throw you off track.
Show yourself some grace.
Acknowledge the slip. Remind yourself it doesn’t define you. Then get back after it. The biggest loss would be letting a mistake completely derail you from your goals.
Remember, goals aren't about perfection. Goals are about progress. Take them one day at a time and if there's a slip up, brush it off. Get back on track. That's part of life.
Forget New Year’s Resolutions. Set Achievable Goals.
Resolutions tend to be ambiguous or so monumental achieving them can feel insurmountable. Goals, on the other hand, can be carved into smaller, more easily attainable objectives.
Furthermore, the weight of New Year’s resolution success often falls squarely on the person making the resolution. It almost never relies on asking for help and support. Whereas goals flourish when they are supported.
The following goals promote better physical and mental health. Plus, they can be enhanced by the support of medical professionals and loved ones.
1. Help Nagging Injuries Heal
Few things are more debilitating than pain. Injuries, especially those that nag over time, can cause chronic discomfort that keeps patients from the activities they love most. That being said, helping a nagging injury heal can be easier said than done.
Many traditional prescriptions involve surgery or chemically-induced painkillers. These invasive procedures can present serious, unwanted complications.
Prolotherapy Offers Natural Support
Prolotherapy is a non-invasive, surgery-free treatment that helps stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself. How does it work? A small irritant is injected at the injury site. This helps stimulate chemical messengers that tell the body to prioritize healing at the sight of the injury.
There's nothing like a good night's sleep to improve your mood, support your weight loss goals, and enhance your overall health.
2. Get 8 Hours of Sleep a Night
Study after study showcases the importance of sleep. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, sleep helps:
- Reduce the chance of getting sick
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Lower risk of serious health concerns (such as diabetes and heart disease
- Enhance your overall mood
- Reduce your stress
- Perform daily tasks more efficiently
- Improve relationships
- Improve decision making
- Reduce the chance of injuries
But sometimes, sleeping more can feel like an elusive task (especially when you’re lying in bed staring at the ceiling).
4 Simple Tips to Achieve 8 Hours of Sleep
- Increase light exposure during the day, which helps your body establish a better circadian rhythm by telling it when not to sleep.
- Skip the coffee later in the day, which can stimulate your nervous system and stop your body from relaxing at night.
- Give yourself a sleep routine by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day.
- Create a restful sleep environment by removing lights, regulating the temperature, and eliminating (or reducing) noise.
3. Show Your Mental Health Some TLC
Feeling better emotionally is a great goal. But in some instances, a vitamin deficiency could be an invisible roadblock. And no one needs those!
Research has shown that certain nutritional and vitamin deficiencies can play a contributing role in common health concerns like anxiety and depression. By identifying deficiencies and providing the body with optimal supplementation, vitamin levels can be improved.
IV Drip Therapy
While diet and oral supplements can improve vitamin deficiencies, the average gestational tract is wildly inefficient. (The gestational tract is made up of the organs that process food and turn it into fuel your body can utilize.)
IV Drip Therapy and Vitamin Injections bypass the gestational tract — delivering key nutrients, minerals, and vitamins directly into your body where they can be easily and quickly absorbed.
4. Get Back Your Va Va Voom
As taboo as the subject may be, research suggests that sex could be a key element in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Among men, researchers found that frequent orgasms were closely linked to better immune systems, reduced risk of prostate cancer, and lower risk for premature death.
Among men and women, research has been shown that frequent sexual activities can enhance memory and improve a patient’s overall mood and outlook on life. Furthermore, researchers have found a close correlation between sexual well-being, happiness, and satisfaction among women.
Natural Support for Sexual Dysfunction
Struggling to orgasm or perform sexually is not an uncommon occurrence among individuals, especially as one ages. Sensitivities and functionality can change over time.
5. Add 200 Steps to Your Day (at least)
The ‘Active Couch Potato’ syndrome has become a serious issue for most Americans — who work out 30 minutes a day but spend the majority of their time sitting. From increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and increased chance of high blood pressure to increased chance of stroke and increased coronary heart disease — the risks of sitting all day are vast.
The fix? Move more! By finding small ways to add more movement to your daily life, you can greatly reduce your risk.
9 Ways to Walk More
From parking at the back of the parking lot to tracking your steps with an activity tracker, simple changes to your daily routine can help you add those extra steps in no time. What’s one of our favorite ways to add more steps? Scheduling a walking date with a friend. You’ll be amazed at how quickly time flies and you rack up those steps.
6. Add 1 Extra Serving of Veggies Daily
From improving sleep to losing weight, vegetable consumption has been closely linked to overall well-being. Rather than simply aiming to consume more veggies, start by adding one extra daily serving.
Paleo-Vegan Recipes
Adding some Paleo-Vegan recipes to your diet can be a simple and delicious way to get more veggies on your plate. Discover some of our favorites!
Don't let time with loved one be cut short by a cancer diagnosis that's discovered too late.
7. Test for More Than 50 Types of Cancer
Among patients with a late-stage cancer diagnosis, just 20% survive 5 years. Unfortunately, 76% of cancer-related deaths in the US were caused by cancers not commonly screened for.
Galleri® Blood Test
The Galleri® Blood Test, aka the GRAIL cancer test, can detect more than 50 types of cancer early. Available to those as young as 40 years old (depending on pre-existing conditions) and those 50 and older - this revolutionary test is completed with a simple blood draw.
Schedule a Consultation
At Premier Integrative, we believe in treating each patient as an individual. You aren’t a number. You don’t deserve to be treated like one. That’s why our naturopathic doctors partner directly with you. Together, we’ll define your goals, identify any barriers standing in your way, and find a roadmap to correct them.
