4 Goal Setting Tips to Rock the New Year

Are you reaching your goals for this coming year? Find out why goal setting beats resolution-making: here are 4 goal setting tips to stay on track this year!

A new year has arrived and you know what does that means, right? Resolutions! But let’s be honest, by now there are a lot of broken resolutions and we’re not even into the month of February. I’m actually not a huge fan of resolutions because they are usually inflexible and often too generic.

That’s why I love goal setting! Here are a few of my favorite goal setting tips and one of the ways I get immune support while working towards my goals.

Goals vs. resolutions…what’s the difference?

So what’s the difference between goals and resolutions? Aren’t they pretty much the same thing? Well, not really. Here is the main difference between resolutions and goals:

• Resolutions are non-specific and general: ex. I want to lose weight this year
• Goals are specific: ex. I want to lose 5 pounds by June 1st

Resolutions usually don’t work because they aren’t specific enough to engage us in the long run. People often forget the “why” behind the resolution when life gets busy.

 Don’t leave life to chance!

How To Set Awesome Goals

By now I am sure we have all heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. These are research proven ways to create goals you can stick to, but I have a few more tips to add to that list to make your goals truly awesome. In addition to being S.M.A.R.T., your goals should also be:

Flexible

Life changes, and sometimes goals should change too. Due to injury, I have had to postpone my goal of running a half marathon. It is still a long-term goal of mine, but I am going to make sure my body heals right first. Until then, my new goal is to run a faster 5K and to do more races this year (budget permitting)

Meaningful

Pick things that really mean something to you! If you pick things that are meaningful to someone else, then you can quickly lose your motivation

Shareable

Share your goal with others for accountability!

Plan-able

Plan out and list how you will meet your goals. Break it down into step-by-steps so you have clear direction

My Goals for the New Year

Here are a few of my goals for this coming year:

• Exercise 30+ minutes daily, even if it’s something small like stretching
• Maintain a well rounded fitness routine – don’t neglect my strength training
• Run more 5K races this year and improve my 5K race time
• Commit to writing and blog posting regularly and become more efficient in writing
• Get outside more
• Complete my second sprint triathlon and beat last year’s time

How I Plan on Reaching my Goals

During times of increased physical stress I need to meet my fitness goals in a healthy way. After all, what’s the point of reaching your goals if I wreck my body in the process? As important as goals are, it is equally important to support health throughout the journey. Here is how I plan on meeting my goals in a healthy way this year:

• Gradually increase my activity again so I am not super sore
• Sit less. Set up a standing desk and continue to use my walking desk on my treadmill so I can meet both goals of writing more and moving more
• Improve my diet, specifically increase my protein and veggies, and reduce sugar, stay well hydrated, and get back into tracking my diet regularly again
• Plan ahead. Our goal of getting outside more includes camping and hiking, which requires advance planning for the year ahead.
• Embrace a schedule. Stick to a writing and and blog posting schedule, and limit distractions during my scheduled writing time (that’s challenging!)
• Support my immune health throughout the year with supplements like Ester-C

Reaching Goals and Supporting Health

We put more stress on our bodies when we work hard to meet our goals, especially our physical fitness goals. It’s important to make sure our immune system is supported throughout the year with proper diet, recovery, and some Vitamin C. Ester-C is a great Vitamin C supplement option for immune support since it is formulated to stay in your system longer than regular vitamin C. Plus, it’s non-acidic and is gentler on your stomach than regular Vitamin C.

One of the things I love about Ester-C is that it fits my diet. Ester-C is free of: gluten, wheat, milk, lactose, artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners; preservatives, sugar, starch, soy, yeast, sodium, fish, and is suitable for vegetarians. That’s pretty awesome!

In addition to getting your Vitamin C, don’t forget to…

• Drink plenty of water
• Watch your intake of sugar and artificial sweeteners
• Eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables
• Get plenty of sunshine and fresh air

You can find Ester-C 24 Hour Immune Support in Walmart stores in the supplements and multivitamin areas.

 Tell me: what are your goals for this year?
Do you make resolutions? Why or why not?

Sarah Jane Parker

Sarah Jane Parker is the founder, recipe creator, and photographer behind The Fit Cookie. She’s a food allergy mom and healthy living blogger based in Wyoming. Sarah is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Health Coach, Revolution Running certified running coach, and an ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist