It’s that time of the year where we attempt to put our new goals into fruition. This could mean different things for different people but the one universal goal every year on January 1st is to become a healthier version of yourself. This could be wanting to work out more, eat healthier, trying that new class that you’ve been meaning to get to, doing that cleanse that has been in the back of your mind, or even something as simple as writing your thoughts in a journal every day to support your mental health. Getting healthy looks different for everyone. It’s common that we set our goals, get very excited about them, go in full force for January, and then gradually let it fall to the side by mid-February – because life. This doesn’t have to be the case in 2021. There are a number of tools and methods to keep you not only motivated but accountable for getting where you want to be.
2020 was one for the history books. It was a year that will be talked about long after we’re gone. It’s been a time of fear, loss, panic, grief, and even indulgence. Goals that we thought we could accomplish became nearly impossible with the state of the world. We became confined to our homes, chained to our computers, and slaves to our consumption of the goods in our refrigerators, cabinets, and even on the internet. Our world may still be in chaos as we’ve made it to 2021, but that doesn’t mean our lives need to be. 2020 taught us resilience and how to work with the hand that we’ve been given. We may think it broke us, and put us over the edge, but the truth is it has made us stronger. All of the feelings and things that happened in the past year didn’t disappear when the clock struck midnight. We’re still in the midst of a pandemic, a huge change in our country, and there are many things that are out of our control. One thing we do have control over is the direction we choose to take in regard to our health. It’s a new year and we’re striving to help you get to a healthier you. Keep reading for some ways to get there.
Making a Plan
This is one of the easiest steps but also one of the hardest to follow. Not because we don’t want to accomplish what we set out to do but when thinking about where we want to be, we tend to fill our cup up with more than we could swallow. This is human nature. We’re capable of anything we set our minds to, but we all come with limits. It’s best to start with small goals and gain little victories for motivation to keep going. How to do this? Write down where you want to be a year from now and cover it up. Now write down one goal for each month of the year that is going to take you to that final piece that you covered. For example, if your goal is to lose weight or tone your body, your plan could look like this:
· January – Start a 28-day Standard Process Detox
· February – Download a health app to track your progress and keep you accountable
· March – Walk/jog for 30 minutes 3 days per week
· April – Research ways to make healthier versions of the dishes you love and implement them
· May – Find a workout you love – ie. Yoga, Hiit, weightlifting, etc.
· June – Start a 28-day intermittent fasting protocol
· July – Check in with your acupuncture physician and manual therapist to break up any stagnation in the body and get over any plateau
· August – Take the stairs everywhere you go instead of the elevator
· September – Start a steps challenge with your friends
· October – Do a 30-day sober October with your friends and find something that’ll keep your bodies moving to replace those indulgent moments with
· November – Start a 10-day Standard Process cleanse before the holidays begin
· December – Look at how far you’ve come and all the new positive habits you’ve adopted
This is just one example of what short term goals could look like to help you get to that final version of where you want to be. By gaining those little victories it will get you more excited to keep going and turn that final goal that you covered up in the beginning into a reality. No two plans will look the same since everybody is not only individually different, but has different goals, and ways their body works and responds. It’s important to not let the way someone else’s plan looks deter you from making your own happen.
Staying Accountable
When staying accountable there are three options. These options consist of utilizing the buddy system, being your own accountability, or using technology to do so. The way the buddy system works is that you find a friend or family member that is determined to reach their goals as well. They don’t have to have the same goals in order for this to work, the person just has to be willing to go down the road of change. If your goal is to lose weight and your accountability partner's goal is to cook more, checking in everyday to see where they are in their journey and motivate them to keep going is what it’s all about and vice versa. If one of you starts to slip it’s the partners job to remind them why they started this journey in the first place and push them to keep going. Choose someone that’s positive, and can help you see the bigger picture, not someone that will make it into a competition and or make you feel bad about having an off day. The only person you should be in competition with on this path to a healthier you is the person you were yesterday.
Being your own accountability can be daunting but also extremely rewarding. Not only are you taking the steps to make a change but you’re pushing yourself to make it happen every step of the way. There are many ways to hold yourself accountable. These can include making a daily check-list and checking things off as the day progresses until it’s complete, taking progress pictures along the way to track the changes you’ve made, rewarding yourself when you reach one of your short-term goals, valuing your time, and being kind to yourself. When being your own accountability partner, one of the main goals is to never be too hard on yourself. When we push ourselves too much it can come to the point of giving up instead of pushing through. Be your own cheerleader and pat yourself on the back not only for your victories but also for the small defeats along the way. We learn more from the roadblocks than we do from the smooth road.
Technology has become a way of life. It can track how much we should be eating, how much water we should be consuming, how many steps we take each day, and can even track our sleeping patterns. Choosing an application that’s right for you on your journey can make getting to that better version of yourself that much more fun along the way. With these applications that are offered today you could set your goals right there on your phone. With that the application can send you daily affirmations to keep you going, healthy recipes, show you your progress pictures from the day you started to remind you of how far you’ve come, and so much more. On days that you’re just not feeling it, these things can give you the boost and confidence you need to keep going the next day. They aren’t meant to deter you but to make your journey easy and give you the motivation that you need along the way.
Find the right tool of accountability for you and it’ll make the process of getting where you want to be that much more efficient.
Cleansing from the Inside Out
Starting any new venture with a cleanse or detox can set you up on the path to success. This doesn’t just have to be a cleanse strictly of the body but should also consist of a cleanse of the mind, as well as your surroundings. By clearing out what is no longer serving us can grant us the room to put our new goals into fruition.
When it comes to cleansing your insides the Standard Process detox can be successful for not only cleaning out the buildup of toxins you may have inside of your body but it can also kick start your weight loss journey, and get you in the habit of making healthier food choices for yourself. When you have a buildup of toxins symptoms like fatigue, cravings, weight gain, low sex-drive, fogginess, and discomfort in your joints and muscles can occur. After clearing up what doesn’t belong in your system, you’ll have a new sense of clarity and determination. The detox is offered in either a 10-day or 28-day kit. This will include an all-in-one shake that has food-based nutrition and 17 grams of protein, program guide, and detox-friendly recipes. See one of our Acupuncture physicians to see what Standard Process protocol is best for your specific goals.
Cleansing the mind after a year like 2020 can be a little more difficult. Things such as meditation, journaling, and talking to someone whether that be a professional, friend, or family member can be extremely helpful in this process. When journaling your hands tend to write or type what you didn’t even realize was happening within your mind. This can be extremely therapeutic and open your eyes to the things in your life that need more care and attention. Mediation can be a little more difficult for some. By participating in a guided meditation that you find through YouTube or an app can give you the basis and help you center yourself. This will make you all around calmer, self-aware, and also aid in unblocking clogged pathways within the body.
Without a clear space we are unable to have a clear mind. Clutter in reality transmits to clutter within our mind and souls. A new year is a great time to clean out the things in our homes and life that are no longer giving us purpose. Donate whatever you don’t need to a good cause and watch how your journey begins to progress from being clean and clear from the inside out.
Reaching Your Goals Through Chinese Medicine
When it comes to your health goals Chinese medicine can be exactly what you need. Not only does having an acupuncture physician assist you on your journey to help you set your goals, but it aids you in staying accountable, tracking your progress, cleansing your mind, body, and soul, as well as helping you adjust your goals as your body is changing. When we start anything new our bodies automatically go through different processes to help us maintain homeostasis. Depending where you started this can be a little bit more challenging for some than for others. By starting early with an acupuncture physician, they can help you to assess where you are and the ways to get to where you want to be without harming the body. Acupuncture helps to keep your channels open therefore promoting the free flow of the energy and blood that keeps us healthy. It can aid us in not burning out as well as being physically aware of our limits. If losing weight is your goal, there are a number of herbs and formulas that can help you burn fat and stay energized along the way. Weight loss predominantly happens in the kitchen. Here at Eastern Acupuncture and Wellness our physicians are trained in the art of food therapy and can help you develop a food protocol that is most convenient to your lifestyle and your goals.
Manual therapy is a big part of Chinese medicine. Its goal is to target the muscles and tendons to keep them lubricated and free of the build-up and lactic acid. By regularly treating yourself to a manual therapy session done by an Licensed Massage Therapist or incorporating tuina (massage modality used in Chinese medicine) into your acupuncture sessions it’ll help you stay injury free on the way to a healthier you.
Every journey has to start somewhere. Whether it be weight loss, letting go of things, or deciding to eat healthier the same steps apply. Change often comes with anxiety and worry, but with the help of Chinese Medicine it can make the process of getting through this new year and to a healthier you more manageable. Book your appointment today and let us aid you in your path to finding the best version of yourself in 2021.
