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How to Meet Your Health Goals: Tips from a Wellness Coach
Every day, well-intentioned Wisconsinites embark on ambitious journeys to get fit, lose weight, quit smoking, or manage stress. And every day, just as many abandon their efforts for a variety of reasons—lack of time, lack of motivation, the discouragement that comes from not seeing results quickly.
WPS Health Insurance wants to help individuals and families overcome the obstacles that stand between them and good health. Recently, we sat down with Emily Moenck and Sarah Both, two wellness coaches who work with members of WPS group health plans, to ask about the questions they hear from members most often—and find out what advice they offer to help people achieve their goals.
Question: I want to [eat better/lose weight/stop smoking/reduce stress], but I don’t know how to get there from here. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer (Emily): One of the keys to success in any wellness effort is to set SMART goals. That is, make sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. For example, a common goal we hear from people is, “I’d like to eat healthier.” But this goal is difficult to measure and impossible to account for from week to week. A better goal that meets SMART requirements would be, “I will eat two servings of fruits and two servings of vegetables seven days a week for the next eight weeks. Then I will reevaluate my progress.” This goal is well defined and allows the person to meet and measure his or her progress over time.
As wellness coaches, we work diligently to help people establish SMART goals early in their programs. Those who embrace this goal-setting process find it to be helpful, as they have defined exactly what they will work on. As a result, they struggle less with self-doubt and they know for sure whether or not they’re on track with their goals.
Question: Over the years, I’ve made several attempts to [eat better/lose weight/stop smoking/reduce stress], but I just can’t stay with it. After a few days or weeks, I always lose interest. What can I do to stay engaged and motivated?
Answer (Sarah): One of the most important things we emphasize to our members is how to focus on the positive aspects of the new behaviors they want to adopt. For example, instead of feeling disheartened on a day when it’s a challenge to stay on track, make a point to celebrate the success and sense of accomplishment that comes from making an effort to stick with your plan. See the day as a victory rather than a burden or a setback. In time, you will develop a sense of optimism and resilience that will help sustain and propel your efforts until the behaviors no longer seem so difficult, and they become a welcome and integral part of your new, healthier lifestyle.
Question: As much as I want to [eat better/lose weight/stop smoking/reduce stress], I just don’t know if it’s in me. What’s the point of trying if I can’t stick to my goals every day?
Answer (Emily): We frequently encounter people who have the best intentions, but their “all-or-nothing” attitudes get in the way of their success. The problem stems from setting unrealistic goals and then throwing in the towel when the member inevitably fails to achieve them.
For example, when we talk with people who don’t exercise at all and learn that their goals are to exercise for 30 minutes every day of the week, we encourage these people to revise their goals into something more realistic and attainable. We’re not trying to reduce their motivation or take the wind out of their sails. Rather, we want to avoid a situation where the person sets himself or herself up for failure. Nobody can expect to go from zero to 60 overnight, so the key is to set more realistic goals in the beginning and work up gradually from there.
Question: I know healthy living is important, but already I have so many responsibilities and demands for my time. What can I do to find the time for good health?
Answer (Sarah): To make a healthy behavior change, we must make that change a priority. During our coaching sessions, we hear about all kinds of obstacles: time, work, children, other commitments. For many people, these challenges are ever-present. So we pose the question, “What would be your top priority if your health was compromised due to an illness?” It’s important to take care of yourself and make your health a priority before you’re confronted with a problem that’s too big to ignore. Changing the way your view your health and your quality of life is critical to moving beyond contemplation and into action.
Another approach is to view your health not merely as an item on your daily to-do list, but as an integral part of every daily decision. Make healthier choices at every turn. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park the car farther from the store, and walk faster when out for a 10-minute break. Every little bit helps, and soon, these efforts will condition you to make healthy living a part of your life every day.
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