Page 24 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – July/August 2021

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Lifestyle Coaching:
A Guide to Reaching Your Health Goals
24 I JULY/AUGUST 2021
How can you make goal setting simple?
To accomplish a personal goal is not an easy feat
— don’t let anyone fool you. It takes hard work and dedication, and it can be difficult to complete on your own. That’s where personalized lifestyle coaching comes in.
What is lifestyle coaching?
A professional lifestyle coach provides support and guidance to help you identify your goals and then create attainable plans and steps to help achieve them. Some of the most sought-after coaches work in health and wellness, where you can focus on areas such as fitness, nutrition, sleep or even stress management.
How does lifestyle coaching typically work?
Upon scheduling your first appointment, you’ll be paired with a coach who can help you set and reach your specific health goals, whether that be losing weight, eating healthier, starting a workout routine or reducing stress in your life. From there, your coach will work with you to pick and choose which goal you want to focus on first. Then, together you can create a personalized plan to successfully achieve that goal.
How do you know what goal you should work toward?
The best way to approach goal setting is to be S.M.A.R.T. about your goals. This means you should ask
yourself the following questions to start:
• Specific. Are you clear on what your goal is and how you’re going to reach it?
• Measurable. Do you have a way to measure your progress? In other words, how will you know when you have reached your goal?
• Achievable. Is your goal realistic?
• Relevant. Do you know why you want to reach this
goal? What does it mean to you?
• Timely. Do you have a target date to work toward? Give yourself a reasonable deadline.
You also should make sure to reward yourself when you reach your goal. You worked hard, so find a fun way to celebrate your success. Grab dinner with your friends or family, buy that new pair of jeans you’ve been wanting or treat yourself to a day of relaxation. You will have earned it.
Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals is just one way the Active&Fit DirectTM program’s lifestyle coaching helps you on your journey to better health. Your coach will listen to your concerns, help create a plan that’s right for you and support you every step of the way.
We all need a little help sometimes. Why not from a pro?
To learn more about the Active&Fit Direct program and lifestyle coaching, visit AAA.com/Workout.
Shutterstock: Robert Bye