Set and Achieve Your Goals
June 8, 2026
Goal setting is an important part of change and growth. Sometimes long term goals can feel overwhelming and impossible to obtain, we want to succeed at the goal RIGHT NOW and not some arbitrary time in the future. This can also be the case with nutrition and health goals. For example, someone might set a goal to lose 50lbs but when weeks go by and there is only a 5lb weight loss it is easy to feel frustrated and return to old habits. With increased advertisement of GLP1s or other weight loss methods promising drastic results, it can feel discouraging when those results do not happen with the more holistic weight loss methods.
Here are some tips to help set realistic goals and stay on track with them:
Set goals that are attainable and realistic for YOU. For example, if someone is currently 175lbs and has a goal weight of 130lbs but the lowest weight ever was 150lbs then it may not be realistic to sustainably maintain a goal weight of 130lbs. It may be more realistic to start with a goal of 150lbs and then focus on other health goals such as improving lab values or building muscle. It is best to compare yourself to yourself, not against other people.
Start with small goals and then build on a solid foundation. Oftentimes when people are working on improving their health they take on several changes at once and this can lead to burnout and returning to original behaviors. For example, if someone wants to start exercising more often but that person has not exercised in months he or she should not set a goal of exercising 7x a week for 60 minutes each because that may not be sustainable. A more realistic starting goal would be to start with maybe 1x a week for 30 minutes and build up from there.
Focus on small wins. When working towards a long term goal it can get frustrating when it feels like there is not significant progress being made. Be kind to yourself and focus on small improvements. For example, if someone has a weight loss goal and the weight has been stagnant for weeks, focusing on other positive changes such as improved energy during the day or lifting heavier weights in the gym can help maintain motivation and sustain these healthy habits. Make a long term goal and make a note on a calendar for 3 months in the future and at the 3 month mark check in with progress made thus far. Even if the long term goal is not 100% met you can see all the wins made along the way.
Setting goals keeps life interesting and it can feel good having something to work towards. Once that goal is planned, break it down into smaller, mini-goals. Every new day is a chance to take one step towards that long term goal.
