While many view January as an optimal time to renew their commitment to following a healthier diet or beginning an exercise routine – after consulting your internal medicine practitioner, setting too big of a goal at the onset of a new year is often incredibly overwhelming, leading to many resolutions being quickly abandoned.
If you are determined to improve your health and well-being in 2022, forget the pressure associated with New Year’s Resolutions, and focus instead on creating new habits over the next 354 days that will ultimately help you make positive changes that you can keep after ringing in another new year.
Here are some tips to help you along the way.
Be Specific
Instead of resolving to “get in shape,” focus on something more specific such as meeting the American Heart Associations physical activity guidelines, which recommend getting a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week in addition to two days of strength training. Choosing a specific goal allows you to schedule your workouts in a digital or paper planner the same way you schedule your appointments with an internal medicine practitioner.
Focus on One Goal
We are over a week into 2022, and if you are still trying to achieve that long list of goals you were inspired to make before ringing in the new year, stop. Rather than attempt to simultaneously accomplish multiple goals, which can lead to you becoming overwhelmed and giving up on all of them, focus on one specific goal at a time. In addition, it is a good idea to rewrite your goals, prioritizing those you consider essential, then work towards that while practicing healthy habits each day.
Celebrate Your Progress
An excellent way to maintain momentum when working towards your goals is to document your progress, whether in a digital or paper journal and celebrate your wins by rewarding yourself. Of course, the best rewards are those that can help support your goals. For instance, after consistently meeting the American Heart Association’s physical activity guidelines, treat yourself to some new workout clothes or equipment. You can even create a chart with rewards for specific milestones that ultimately lead to your end goal.
Visit Your Internal Medicine Practitioner
A new year also provides the perfect opportunity for you to sit down with your phone and calendar to make appointments with your internal medicine practitioner for a physical examination and screening tests. These appointments are ideal for discussing your specific goals with your doctor, as they can offer guidance and support, working with you to improve your overall health and well-being.
Woodlands Diagnostic Clinic is an internal medicine practice located in Shenandoah, TX, providing comprehensive and compassionate patient-centered health care. Our internal medicine practitioners are committed to optimizing the health and well-being of our patients through the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of both acute and chronic medical conditions in an office or teleconference setting seven days a week.
The following are Woodlands Diagnostic Clinic’s new extended hours of operation. 
MONDAY
7:30 AM
6:30 PM
TUESDAY
7:30 AM
5:00 PM
WEDNESDAY
7:30 AM
5:00 PM
THURSDAY
7:30 AM
5:00 PM
FRIDAY
8:00 AM
6:30 PM
SATURDAY
8:30 AM
6:30 PM
SUNDAY
8:30 AM
6:30 PM
Resources:
“American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids.” American Heart Association.
Milkman, Katy. “New Year’s Resolutions Are Notoriously Slippery, but Science Can Help You Keep Them.” Scientific American, January 11, 2022.
