Workplace wellness is a term that has risen in\npopularity in recent times. For businesses, this means promoting programs,\nbehaviors, and activities that support the health of their employees to foster\na more efficient and positive workplace culture. But the key to a successful\nwellness journey for employees, or anyone for that matter, is to set goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we set out to better our health in one\nway or another, we are looking to accomplish something specific, such as lose\nweight, quit smoking, or consistently get enough quality sleep. The problem is\nthat it\u2019s easy to stray away from the path towards achieving the result we\ndesire, which is why goals are vital for success. When goals\nare S.M.A.R.T.<\/a> (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant,\ntime-specific), they enable you to establish your core values, set your\nintentions, and use specific tasks to measure your progress and actualize what\nyou want to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Weight management, by way of example, has been\nand continues to be a concern for many employers and employees across the\nboard. An overwhelming amount of studies show a strong correlation between workers who are overweight<\/a> and a reduction in\ntheir productivity, as well as an increase in absences. That said if you\u2019re one\nof the millions of individuals whose resolution is to lose weight and keep it\noff in order to be a healthier and more productive employee, using a S.M.A.R.T.\ngoal strategy can help you succeed! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s what that might look like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n S \u2013 <\/strong>Clearly state what it is that you are hoping to accomplish and avoid\nbeing too broad. Instead of merely saying, \u201cI want to lose weight this year by\nchanging my lifestyle,\u201d specifically indicate the who\/what\/when\/where\/how\nbehind your objective. For example, instead, you might say, \u201cI want to lose 20\npounds in four months by exercising for at least 30 minutes each day and\ndecreasing my caloric intake by 500 calories per day.\u201d It may help to stick\nnotes on your desk or mark your work calendar with reminders of how you plan to\ncarry out those habits, such as encouraging yourself to exercise during your\nbreak or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n R \u2013 <\/strong>Let\u2019s face it; every goal has its obstacles. But if the goal is\nrelevant to you and serves a purpose in your life, you\u2019re more likely to see it\nthrough. Say, for example, you\u2019re attempting to slim down in order to look good\nin someone else\u2019s wedding pictures. In this case, you\u2019re setting a goal for\nsomeone else. Now, try finding benefits behind losing weight that matter to you<\/em> and see if that doesn\u2019t inspire you\nmore. What are your top priorities when it comes to health that can motivate\nyou to lose weight? Do you want to lower your cholesterol or blood pressure? Do\nyou want to prevent heart disease? Or do you want to increase your energy\nlevels at work? Determine what provides meaning to you and use it as fuel!<\/p>\n\n\n\n T \u2013 <\/strong>Once you establish a goal, set a deadline to accompany it so that you\nstay the course in a timely manner. Remember, your timeframe for reaching your\ngoal needs to be both reasonable and realistic. It\u2019s common for people to want\nto lose as much weight as possible in the least amount of time, but losing too\nmuch weight too quickly can be harmful to your health. Most experts conclude\nthat one to two pounds per week, or four to eight pounds per month, is a safe\nand healthy weight-loss goal<\/a> to aim for. However, always remember to\ntalk to your doctor or a trusted medical professional before you begin a\nweight-loss plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Historically, weight loss is one of the most sought after goals for individuals all over the world. Especially in the workplace, weight loss programs and initiatives tend to rank high on the list among corporate wellness offerings. Weight loss by its very nature is no easy task; however, it is both attainable and valuable, especially when you implement S.M.A.R.T. goals. Not only will these goals help you streamline the weight loss process and boost your overall health, but they will also positively impact how you feel and perform at work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nM \u2013 <\/strong>To keep tabs on your development during your\nweight-loss journey, it\u2019s essential to determine which methods you intend to\nutilize to measure your progress. But before you reach for\u2014or step on\u2014the\nscale, take a minute to hear us out. Scales might seem like a no-brainer, but\nin reality, they don\u2019t paint the entire picture. The numbers on the scale can\nfluctuate during your weight-loss endeavor even if you are losing body fat\nbecause you might also be gaining muscle mass at the same time. Not to mention,\nscales aren\u2019t representative of non-scale victories, such as going from size 12\npants to size six, for example. Luckily, Verywell Fit provides alternative ways to track your weight loss progress<\/a> to\ntell you whether you’re losing the right kind of weight: fat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nA \u2013 <\/strong>Before you embark on your weight loss venture,\nconsider how attainable your goal is. For instance, have you tried losing\nweight in the past, but your efforts were to no avail? Perhaps you tried\ncounting calories, but the weight just wasn\u2019t budging. This time around, you\u2019ll\nwant to take a different approach and utilize resources to help you achieve the\nresults you want. Weight loss requires you to look at the nutritional value of\nthe foods you eat, not just calories alone. WW offers an\nindividually-catered weight loss program<\/a> that works with you to\nachieve your goals by using a SmartPoints system that encourages healthier\neating habits over counting calories. Under this plan, you are allotted a\ncertain number of SmartPoints that guide you to eat more lean protein, fruits\nand vegetables, and less sugar and saturated fats. Lucky for you, this balanced\napproach means you can still indulge in breakroom treats from time to time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n