Let’s Celebrate National Wellness Month With A Renewed Focus
Do you even remember whether you set a New Year’s Resolution last year? If you’re like most Americans, any goals set months ago have already fallen by the wayside. Luckily, the long days of August bring with them a fresh opportunity to focus on personal wellness and embrace healthier living. Designated as National Wellness Month, this time is a chance to reflect on our current lifestyle choices and recommit to pursuing healthier habits.
Work deadlines, family obligations and other stressors may have caused us to abandon our previous attempts at self-improvement. But if we are going to do big things in the world, we need to take care of ourselves first. When we feel better, we can achieve more! August provides the perfect backdrop to set new goals and create lasting positive changes. Read on for nine practical ways to recommit to healthy goals during this rejuvenating time.
Step 1: Reflect on Current Habits
Before setting new goals, it’s crucial to take a step back and assess our current habits and routines. It would be a mistake to try and pick up where you left off without taking an honest look back at everything that you went through since you got started. If we don’t learn from our mistakes, we’re more likely to repeat them. Reflecting on our lifestyle choices allows us to identify areas that need improvement and recognize patterns that might hinder our wellness. Ask yourself:
- How is my physical health? Am I eating nutritiously and staying active?
- How do I manage stress and emotions? Do I practice mindfulness or engage in stress-reduction activities?
- Is there a healthy balance between work and leisure in my life?
- What are my sleep patterns like? Am I getting enough restorative sleep each night?
- How are my relationships with friends and family? Do I feel supported and connected?
- How do I nurture my mental health? Am I challenging myself intellectually and
- Emotionally?
- Do I engage in activities that bring me joy and fulfillment?
Step 2: Remember Your Whys
Pause for a moment and think about why you set those goals and resolutions in the first place. By reminding yourself of the genuine reasons behind your aspirations, you might find the motivation to work towards them returning naturally. Or you might find that you want to alter some of your goals.
Step 3: Identify What Went Wrong and Forgive Yourself for Past Mistakes
Now, let’s figure out what derailed you in the first place. Whether it was trying to tackle too much too soon, facing unexpected challenges, or just feeling overwhelmed, pinpoint the root cause with a curious and understanding mindset.
Then take a moment to make peace with the past. Let’s face it, we all stumble on our journey to achieving our goals. Life happens, and we’re only human. Reflect on the lessons learned, and treat yourself with the same compassion and understanding you’d offer to a close friend. Beating yourself up won’t get you anywhere. Instead, remind yourself that setbacks are part of the journey.
Step 4: Set SMART and Attainable Goals Using Insights from the Past
Once you’ve gained insight into your current habits and past mistakes, it’s time to set attainable wellness goals for the month. Adjust your habits or action plan accordingly so that you don’t get thrown off track again by the same obstacles, events or way of thinking. Also, remember that small, incremental changes are more sustainable and effective than trying to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight.
An easy way to make a plan of action is to create goals that are S.M.A.R.T.:
- Specific — What do I want to do?
- Measurable — How will I track my progression?
- Achievable — Are these goals realistic using the time and resources available?
- Relevant — Is this important enough to me to want to do it? Be positive in creating goals for yourself.
- Time-framed — When will I do this? Set short and long-term time frames. Nothing you want is going to come overnight.
A 2020 study published in PLoS One showed that approach-based goals are more likely to be successful than simple avoidance-based goals. So, choose a few key areas to focus on and frame your goals in a positive and specific manner. For example:
- Instead of “I will stop eating junk food,” try “I will incorporate more whole fruits and vegetables into my diet (and list how you will do it and track it).”
- “I will engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes five days a week” is better than “I will work out every day.”
- Instead of “I will reduce stress,” try “I will practice deep breathing or meditation for 10 minutes each morning.”
Step 5: Craft Your Path with Joy and Balance
Armed with newfound knowledge, let’s revamp your approach! By finding the right pace and making sustainable changes, you’ll set yourself up for long-term success! Another tip is to infuse your journey with elements that bring you delight. Merge your goals with things you already love doing just for the sheer pleasure they bring. When it feels less like a chore and instead a hit of dopamine, you’ll be unstoppable!
Step 6: Continue Making Adjustments as Needed
Even after you’ve taken all the previous steps, the unpredictable nature of life may still get in the way of attaining your goals. Try to stay focused on learning and growing rather than solely on outcomes. Consider each challenge as an opportunity for personal development. By becoming a resilient and adaptable student of life, you’ll conquer any hurdle that comes your way.
Step 7: Track Progress and Celebrate Achievements
Keep track of your progress toward your wellness goals. Consider using a journal, smartphone app or wellness tracker to monitor your daily activities and habits. A study published by Frontiers in Psychology showed that tracking habits can improve habit formation by reducing motivational impairments.
Don’t forget to take the time to celebrate the small victories you have during the course of your plan. Celebrate even the smallest achievements, as each step forward contributes to your overall well-being and personal growth. You may be better motivated to continue on the correct path and work even harder by rewarding your accomplishments.
Step 8: Build and Use a Support System
Reach out to family and friends who you know will support you and let them know what you are doing. Find and join social media challenge groups. Most fitness device companies sponsor these groups for their users. Find an accountability partner and check in with them regularly.
Step 9: Seek Professional Help as Needed
Some people have found that no matter how many times they reset their goals and intentions, it’s simply too difficult to succeed on their own. One option in these cases is to seek help from professionals who are experts in helping people in exactly that situation.
Regarding weight loss and metabolic health, the experts at KC Wellness have all the tools and training necessary to help people who have struggled to successfully lose weight on their own in the past.
Details about Medical Weight Loss at KC Wellness
Our medical weight loss programs are effective, individualized and multifaceted programs that deliver life-changing health benefits to our patients.
The detailed intake process includes obtaining a detailed health history, a complete physical exam, comprehensive laboratory testing and the creation of a customized plan that will help you lose weight and improve your overall health.
There is no one-size-fits-all medical weight loss program. Every person is different: a different medical history, health issues, upbringing, fitness routine and body type. The initial phase of our weight loss programs includes a combination of medications, supplements and meal plans customized to fit your needs and goals. These are the primary treatments we utilize to achieve results:
Lipotropic Injections — The term lipotropic comes from the three essential amino acids that are crucial for our health. These amino acids help the human body metabolize fatty acids from foods inside the liver. When injected, these lipotropic compounds can accelerate the fat metabolism rate. As a result, the fatty acids are degraded and utilized or excreted by the body quickly, as opposed to being stored as fat. Adding additional vitamins and minerals to the amino acid blend accelerates this process.
Semaglutide Injections — These shots help combat chronic weight issues. The treatment has a GLP-1 effect, meaning it signals the pancreas to create insulin, which causes the stomach to empty over a longer period — keeping you fuller longer. The shots also suppress your appetite by using your body’s natural insulin production process and help stabilize blood sugar to avoid crashes.
Prescription Appetite Suppressants — Our physician thoroughly evaluates each patient and prescribes an appropriate appetite suppressant when it is clinically indicated. The most commonly prescribed medication is phentermine.
Weight Loss Coaching — Our staff is here to help you through your weight loss journey every step of the way. Not only will you receive weekly weight loss progress, counseling and nutrition advice, but we will make ourselves available via phone or email outside of office hours for your convenience.
Nutritional Supplements — We utilize pharmaceutical-grade nutritional supplements to help facilitate rapid weight loss, increase energy and promote long-term health. We utilize supplements made by Pure Encapsulations that are guaranteed for potency and purity.
Conclusion
As August unfolds, embrace National Wellness Month as an opportunity to recommit to your healthy goals. Reflect on your current habits, set attainable wellness objectives, and nourish your body, mind and spirit. If you decide that you’d like access to the tools of medical weight loss, consult with our experts at KC Wellness. Remember, wellness is a journey, not a destination, and every step you take toward healthier living matters. Celebrate your progress and use this month as a springboard for continued personal growth and well-being throughout the year.
Consult KC Wellness
When it comes to complete wellness, it is a personal matter requiring an individualized plan to fit your needs and lifestyle. Without guidance and support from outside resources, successfully meeting wellness goals can be a challenging process for many people. At KC Wellness, we have a holistic approach to health. We focus on therapies and lifestyle changes that encourage safe and sustainable results.
If you are ready to see how medical weight loss or weight loss injections for men and women can improve your health, then KC Wellness may be just the place for you. Our doctors and staff are always available to answer any questions and provide guidance along the way to help you succeed. Reach out to our team today to see how we can help you in your health and wellness journey. Call us at 816-214-5276 or contact us here. There’s no reason to wait — let us help you feel your best every day. You can see all of our services HERE.