It’s that time of year again, where we all have a think to ourselves – “I’m going to change, this year will be different, I’ll be better at this year”.
It’s a great opportunity to reflect on the year that was and look forward to the year to come. Here at Precision Physio, our challenge to you, is to make your New Year’s Resolution a physical one.
Setting a goal related to your physical health is just as much about your mental preparation as it is your physical preparation. So, make sure you think about:
- What it is you want to achieve
- What it means to you
- How you can get there
However, before even thinking about the “what” aspect of your resolution, have a good ponder on the “why”. Think about what a physical health resolution means to you, how it will make your life and yourself better – give this resolution some importance.
It’s great knowing about what you want to achieve but understanding the reasons behind that goal is going to motivate you more! That motivation is absolutely key to ensuring you can stay on track and kick your goals.
When setting a resolution, most of us set the target either too high, too low or around things that are too unfamiliar. When it comes to setting a resolution for your physical health, start off by thinking about things you’ve tried before – familiarity is one of the easier concepts for us to manage. For example, you may have played a particular sport in the past that you really enjoyed and feel it would be great if you could get back into it. You may have been a gym junkie in the past or have tried some classes that were great fun at the time. There’s a great start.
“If the things you’ve tried before really don’t appeal – then, we can start to think a little broader”.
Think about things you might like to try – not just what everyone else does to stay in shape, and spare a thought for who else you might be able to get involved with – going with someone to keep you accountable is often a great way to keep you and your partner on track!
Next, once you have in mind what it is you want to achieve, and why you want to achieve it, start to plan out your “How am I going to do this” (check out our blog on SMART goals ).
Giving yourself a plan makes the resolution:
- Clear
- Easy to work towards
- Easier to track your improvement
Using all of these components for your resolution will:
- Make you want to achieve it
- Make your resolution go the distance
Finally, working hard at a resolution is challenging and takes energy. Occasionally, a mental vacation really works and helps hit the reset button. Don’t feel guilty if every day or week you drop the ball – refresh the “why” in your mind and get back on track. Remember, even though we think about our body most between Christmas and New Year, we need to think about it more between New Year and Christmas.
If you’re ready to take up the challenge and set yourself a physical new year’s resolution, a great way to kick it off, is by having a general physical health assessment, so that you can be more aware of your limitations and areas to focus on, or be wary off.
A great way to get yourself assessed, is with an Exercise Physiologist or Physiotherapist, who can look at you joint by joint and provide concise feedback and even exercise prescription based on your mobility and goals.
Book an appointment
If you would like to schedule a session with our team and have Precision Physio support you to achieve your goals in 2020, you can contact us on 02 8607 4000 or request a call by completing this form.
This blog was written by Liam Palmer – Exercise Physiologist at Precision Physio Concord. If you would like more information, or to work specifically with Liam, you can contact him through the Precision Physio Concord clinic: 02 9736 3950 or book in online.
