By
Dr. Brett Saks
This Article is about setting realistic goals and the 4 steps
necessary to successfully attain them. Let's put our 4 steps to work
with an example:
This Article is about setting realistic goals and the 4 steps
necessary to successfully attain them. Let's put our 4 steps to work
with an example:
Joe is a 47 year old architect. He has had
chronic lower back pain for the last 8 years. He smokes about ½ a pack
of cigarettes each day and doesn't get much exercise or activity, as he
sits at his desk most of the day.
Joe is about 35 pounds overweight and he's often fatigued. Joe drinks at least 2 cups of coffee every morning and his favorite night-time snack is ice cream which he has 3 or 4 nights per week. Joe was diagnosed one year ago with Type II diabetes and has suffered with depression for most of his adult life. He takes medication for the depression and the diabetes and he uses ibuprofen pain reliever twice a day for his back pain. Joe's
diet consists mostly of restaurant meals and to-go boxes, although he does cook himself 3 or 4 meals each week.
It would be easy for us to set long-term goals for Joe (lose 35 pounds, join a gym and exercise everyday and quit smoking); however, if we understand process, this isn't going to happen overnight. So let's start by electing some practical, short-term goals for Joe. Based on our system of "Healthy" goal setting, here's what I'd recommend -
Goals: lose 10 pounds, have more energy, feel less depressed in 8 weeks.
Strategy:
* Double the number of meals Joe cooks and eats at home from 4 to 8. That means Joe has to be sure to get to the store each week to gather the items he will need to prepare that many meals for himself.
* Switch from his commercial brand of cigarettes to a natural brand that doesn't have all the chemical additives (there are 4500 of them!)
* Start going to the local mall and walking briskly for 20-30 minutes, three times per week.
Progress at the end of week two:
* By the end of the second week, Joe is finding it hard to make 8 meals per week. He hasn't been buying enough groceries, he doesn't know how to cook very well and he is finding it hard to take the time to actually prepare the meals. He is doing great with his walking program and has found that he really likes to get out and walk. He has switched to the natural cigarettes, but hasn't gotten used to the flavor quite yet, so he still craves his old brand and occasionally smokes them. He is down to a maximum of 2 cups of coffee each day and a few days has had just one. Joe has lost 2 pounds and is waking up feeling a little more energetic.
Adjustments:
* Joe can add a few extra items to his grocery list or make a quick extra stop or two during the week to pick up some extra essentials. I would encourage Joe that he will get the knack of shopping soon and that he should try and pre-plan all of his meals so his grocery list might be more complete. I would also recommend a simple cookbook for Joe or that he might ask some friends for recipes that he might use to help him learn how to be a better cook and how to keep from getting "food fatigue" by eating the same meals every week.
* Joe should stick with his walking program and even see if he can add an extra day since he is enjoying it so much. Maybe finding other interesting places to walk would mix things up a bit! Joe mentioned to us that one of his secrets is that he listens to books on CD while he walks. His favorite author is Tom Clancy and listening to the books makes the time breeze by more quickly. He finds that he is walking longer than expected, about 40 minutes each time out, as he gets involved in listening to the book and doesn't want to stop.
* Joe is to be complimented on sticking to the natural cigarettes, even though they are not as satisfying as his previous brand. He should be reminded that he is avoiding the daily intake of thousands of unnecessary chemicals. A list of the top 100 additives in commercial cigarettes can be given to him to help reinforce the change he has made.
Progress at the end of week four:
* Joe is doing better with shopping. He is pre-planning all of his meals for the week and he is writing a detailed shopping list. He doesn't have to stop for additional ingredients very often. He is making at least 8 meals at home now and sometimes more, depending upon his schedule. He is still looking for recipes that he can make with his limited cooking talents, but he is getting his "catalog" together. He uses the internet to find different recipes and tries the ones that look inviting and practical for him. Joe is having one cup of coffee on most days and is saving his ice cream for his "TV nights" on Thursdays and Sundays only.
His walking program is still pretty good. He is walking at least 3 times per week and sometimes four. He has made some time to walk in the mornings on the weekends at a local park, which has lots of fresh air and a variety of trails that keep the boredom down. On rainy days, he still goes to the mall to walk. He is smoking the same or a lesser amount of cigarettes each day now and finds that he may be smoking a little less. His cravings are less frequent and he feels that he may be smoking more out of habit than chemical addiction. Joe has lost 6 pounds. He definitely feels more energetic and he has noticed his lower back must be feeling better, as he is not feeling the need to take ibuprofen pain medicine everyday.
Adjustments:
* None. Joe is right on target! Good work Joe!
Progress at the end of week eight:
* Joe is doing considerably better with his health and lifestyle than when he started. His lower back pain is reduced, his weight is down 11 pounds and he is sleeping better and feeling more rested. Joe feels good about his success and eager to start his next phase. Joe feels that the changes he has made have lifted his spirits and he is not feeling as depressed as when he started. He is still smoking, but only about 8 or 9 of the natural tobacco cigarettes each day.
Summary:
Joe didn't give up. He had some challenges in the beginning, but by having patience and working through his issues, Joe was able to meet and exceed his goals. He feels especially good about keeping his promise to himself. It is time for Joe to decide if he wants to set some new goals. He's made some terrific changes in his lifestyle, but he's still got room for improvement. I say "Chart your course, Captain Joe!"
In health,
Joe is about 35 pounds overweight and he's often fatigued. Joe drinks at least 2 cups of coffee every morning and his favorite night-time snack is ice cream which he has 3 or 4 nights per week. Joe was diagnosed one year ago with Type II diabetes and has suffered with depression for most of his adult life. He takes medication for the depression and the diabetes and he uses ibuprofen pain reliever twice a day for his back pain. Joe's
diet consists mostly of restaurant meals and to-go boxes, although he does cook himself 3 or 4 meals each week.
It would be easy for us to set long-term goals for Joe (lose 35 pounds, join a gym and exercise everyday and quit smoking); however, if we understand process, this isn't going to happen overnight. So let's start by electing some practical, short-term goals for Joe. Based on our system of "Healthy" goal setting, here's what I'd recommend -
Goals: lose 10 pounds, have more energy, feel less depressed in 8 weeks.
Strategy:
* Double the number of meals Joe cooks and eats at home from 4 to 8. That means Joe has to be sure to get to the store each week to gather the items he will need to prepare that many meals for himself.
* Switch from his commercial brand of cigarettes to a natural brand that doesn't have all the chemical additives (there are 4500 of them!)
* Start going to the local mall and walking briskly for 20-30 minutes, three times per week.
Progress at the end of week two:
* By the end of the second week, Joe is finding it hard to make 8 meals per week. He hasn't been buying enough groceries, he doesn't know how to cook very well and he is finding it hard to take the time to actually prepare the meals. He is doing great with his walking program and has found that he really likes to get out and walk. He has switched to the natural cigarettes, but hasn't gotten used to the flavor quite yet, so he still craves his old brand and occasionally smokes them. He is down to a maximum of 2 cups of coffee each day and a few days has had just one. Joe has lost 2 pounds and is waking up feeling a little more energetic.
Adjustments:
* Joe can add a few extra items to his grocery list or make a quick extra stop or two during the week to pick up some extra essentials. I would encourage Joe that he will get the knack of shopping soon and that he should try and pre-plan all of his meals so his grocery list might be more complete. I would also recommend a simple cookbook for Joe or that he might ask some friends for recipes that he might use to help him learn how to be a better cook and how to keep from getting "food fatigue" by eating the same meals every week.
* Joe should stick with his walking program and even see if he can add an extra day since he is enjoying it so much. Maybe finding other interesting places to walk would mix things up a bit! Joe mentioned to us that one of his secrets is that he listens to books on CD while he walks. His favorite author is Tom Clancy and listening to the books makes the time breeze by more quickly. He finds that he is walking longer than expected, about 40 minutes each time out, as he gets involved in listening to the book and doesn't want to stop.
* Joe is to be complimented on sticking to the natural cigarettes, even though they are not as satisfying as his previous brand. He should be reminded that he is avoiding the daily intake of thousands of unnecessary chemicals. A list of the top 100 additives in commercial cigarettes can be given to him to help reinforce the change he has made.
Progress at the end of week four:
* Joe is doing better with shopping. He is pre-planning all of his meals for the week and he is writing a detailed shopping list. He doesn't have to stop for additional ingredients very often. He is making at least 8 meals at home now and sometimes more, depending upon his schedule. He is still looking for recipes that he can make with his limited cooking talents, but he is getting his "catalog" together. He uses the internet to find different recipes and tries the ones that look inviting and practical for him. Joe is having one cup of coffee on most days and is saving his ice cream for his "TV nights" on Thursdays and Sundays only.
His walking program is still pretty good. He is walking at least 3 times per week and sometimes four. He has made some time to walk in the mornings on the weekends at a local park, which has lots of fresh air and a variety of trails that keep the boredom down. On rainy days, he still goes to the mall to walk. He is smoking the same or a lesser amount of cigarettes each day now and finds that he may be smoking a little less. His cravings are less frequent and he feels that he may be smoking more out of habit than chemical addiction. Joe has lost 6 pounds. He definitely feels more energetic and he has noticed his lower back must be feeling better, as he is not feeling the need to take ibuprofen pain medicine everyday.
Adjustments:
* None. Joe is right on target! Good work Joe!
Progress at the end of week eight:
* Joe is doing considerably better with his health and lifestyle than when he started. His lower back pain is reduced, his weight is down 11 pounds and he is sleeping better and feeling more rested. Joe feels good about his success and eager to start his next phase. Joe feels that the changes he has made have lifted his spirits and he is not feeling as depressed as when he started. He is still smoking, but only about 8 or 9 of the natural tobacco cigarettes each day.
Summary:
Joe didn't give up. He had some challenges in the beginning, but by having patience and working through his issues, Joe was able to meet and exceed his goals. He feels especially good about keeping his promise to himself. It is time for Joe to decide if he wants to set some new goals. He's made some terrific changes in his lifestyle, but he's still got room for improvement. I say "Chart your course, Captain Joe!"
In health,
Dr. Brett Saks is a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), Doctor of
Naturopathic Medicine (NMD), Author, Lecturer and Health & Wellness
Coach. His book "The Bio-Logikal Diet: Your Guide to Optimal Health"
helps readers develop the knowledge to make better, more informed
lifestyle choices that they can implement in their daily lives. For more
information, or to order copies of his book please visit him at at his
brand new website http://www.drsaks.com to learn about the exciting new products and services Dr. Saks is offering in 2008.
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