Wellness Tips for the New Year

It’s almost that time of year - the time when everyone seems to set goals and vows to make a change. Some of us stick with those goals and changes, others….. not so much. So the big question is - is there a secret to reaching your goals and not falling off the health wagon? Probably not a secret, but we have plenty of tips from our expert Wellness Staff this new year to help you set and maintain your health goals for 2023!

We checked in with our Wellness Directors and Coordinators from across our YMCA association, and they all had one important tip to give: start small!

Mikayla Hansen, Wellness Director at the Botetourt Family Y says, “Start small! Making little changes, one at a time is much easier to maintain than a complete overhaul of your routines and habits.” Stefanie Carter, Wellness Director at the Rockbridge Family Y added, “Set a small weekly goal that doesn't compare yourself to others but focuses on self-improvement.”

In addition to starting small, setting a SMART goal was also popular advice. Dr. Deidre Douglas, Wellness Coordinator at the Kirk Family Y suggests, “Hire a trainer to create the SMART goal for lifestyle changes. SMART = Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Oriented.”

Other great tips we received from our wise and experienced Wellness team:

• Pre-plan your meals -  Plan your meals out for the week and ensure you have all the necessary items.  Please keep it simple and set yourself up for success based on your lifestyle and preferences.
• Pre-plan your workouts - Plan what days you will work out for the week.  Put them on a calendar and check them off as you do them.
• Make Exercise Fun!- Do things you enjoy.  Workout with a buddy, take a fitness class, exercise outside, or hire a personal trainer.
• Practice mindful eating-  Focus on eating slowly and enjoying your food.  Eat until you are 80% full.
• Have a plan for how you will progress and keep track by writing it down.
• Set daily goals. 
• Set weekly goals.
• Create a weekly reward system that helps to stay on task.
• Exercise with a buddy. 
• Put a diary/calendar alert on your phone to remind you to take a break to exercise.
• Exercise at the time of day that works best for your mind, body, and spirit. We all have different lifestyle preferences to exercise. Honor the time of day that works best.
• Take time to meditate and breathe sans the noise of the outside world, work, social media, email, and phone messages. 20 minutes per day works well to refresh and rejuvenate the brain. 

Don’t let all of this great advice overwhelm you, change takes time! 

Salem Family Y’s Wellness Director Kyle Hindman adds: “At the end of the day physical fitness is a lifestyle that takes time, effort, and determination to build. There will be bumps along the way, you will get tired, get busy, get sick, and may even lose motivation. It is important to understand your WHY. Why are you on this journey? Why will you not let yourself fail? Who is depending on you to accomplish your goals? Always remember that a small effort is better than no effort, and an inch forward is better than going nowhere at all.”

Are you ready to make a healthy lifestyle change? In addition to these tips, we can help you reach your goals in other ways, like group exercise classes, our Fit Start program, personal training, our Y Fitness App Challenges, and more!