Action Plan for Health Success
Outlining the steps you need to take to achieve your health and weight loss goals is critical to your success. This includes recognizing your big vision, setting a goal, outlining your action plan, identifying your motivators, and seeing the expected outcome.
Your action plan is basically your map for moving from where you are to where you want to be. The steps you’ll be taking. After you’ve outlined your action plan you then need to pick 1-2 steps to focus on. Trying to change too much at once can set you up for failure. So, identify your first two goals or steps to tackle. Now, this is where you need to go deeper and develop what I’ll call “sub-steps”.
It is very important that you are specific about how you are going to make your action plan a reality and I want to give you an example of what I mean.
Here is the example on the Action Plan for Health Success template:
I commit to walking 45 minutes 3 times per week starting tomorrow.
That is a great action plan step and I’m going to use it here as an example of how you need to go further.
- What days of the week are you going to walk?
- What time of day?
- Are you going to have to get up earlier, go to the gym on your way home, or alter your lunch schedule?
- If you have children – are they going with you or do you need to line up a sitter?
- Do you have walking shoes?
Try to think of everything that could impact your decision to walk when the day and time you’ve set rolls around.
Next, grab your schedule. Continue reading
Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure – Are you ready?
How long have you been struggling to lower cholesterol and/or blood pressure? 12 months? 3 years? More than 10 years?
Are you ready to stop struggling and start getting results?
Over the years I’ve worked with clients to improve heart health it’s become very clear that those who receive long-term support see much greater levels of success which is why I want to get this option available to you. It’s going to be comprehensive and customized to your needs to ensure your success.
Some of the specifics include:
Detailed Diet Assessment
You will receive a detailed evaluation of your dietary intake to specifically analyze your calorie and nutrient intake to determine what foods need to be increased, what foods need to be eliminated (or reduced) and what needs to be added so you are on track.
Expert Feedback
You will receive expert feedback and guidance from a heart health nutrition specialist to guide you in the right direction, help you overcome obstacles, and support you on your heart health journey.
Specific examples for your situation
This program doesn’t include general feedback regarding diets to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. This will be completely customized and based on your current diet and lifestyle habits to determine what YOU need to do. You will receive specific examples and suggestions on how you can meet your calorie, nutrient, and activity goals.
Direct Email Access to Ask Questions
Making diet and lifestyle changes is not a “cookie cutter” process. There will be ups and downs. You will have questions. This program allows you to directly submit your questions and receive answers without going through a “middle man”.
Track Your Progress
You will check-in at the start of every month to assess your progress and determine strategies and goals for the month ahead. This will include a goal checklist to make sure you stay on track.
Delicious Heart Healthy Recipes
Every week you’ll receive a new heart healthy recipe delivered directly to your email inbox. By then end of the program you’ll have added 24 new heart healthy choices to your meal plan.
Take Action Plan for Heart Health Success
This program will provide you the tools, information, guidance, and support you need to finally get on track and maintain your heart health for life. We’ll progress through several different factors including diet, lifestyle, and functional foods to meet your goals.
By the end of the 6 months (if you follow through) you’ll see. . .
Lower cholesterol levels
Reduced blood pressure
Elevated HDL cholesterol
Decreased need for medication
Increased energy
. . .and the potential for much more depending on your health goals!
Stay tuned for more details! If you want to receive priority notification (and be eligible for a special savings) sign-up for the priority notification list at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com/notify.html.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Best Weight Loss Plan – Team Member #4
If you’ve been following along, here is the fourth and final member to put together your best weight loss plan and complete your team. We’ve already covered:
1. Doctor
2. Nutritionist
3. Personal Trainer
Successfully losing weight and maintaining the weight loss requires several different factors all working together. Get a team of experts behind you to successfully to achieve the long-term weight loss you desire.
Support Group
One of those factors is a strong support system to encourage and support you as you work towards your goal. Losing weight doesn’t have to be tackled by yourself and you drastically increase your rate of success by surrounding yourself with individuals supporting you, such as what you receive from the NewU group dietitians and members. Changing your habits, such as cutting back on portion sizes, selecting healthier options, making time to workout by yourself can lead to feelings of loneliness and possibly after time depression. And where does depression lead? That’s right, to some good ole comfort foods that are usually not the best choices to go overboard on if you want to lose weight! Participating in a support group is critical to overcoming the challenges everyone faces on the road to weight loss.
Family and friends are not always the best option for support. Usually because they’ve been apart of your unhealthy lifestyle and they may unconsciously sabotage your efforts, such as inviting you out for drinks or dinner. You find yourself being “different” than the group, which can be difficult. Not that you’re going to cut off your current family and friends, just know they can present an unexpected obstacle. You can persuade your friends to join you by explaining why and what you’re doing and ask them to be supportive and finding alternative activities you can do together, such as instead of dinner meeting at the park for a walk.
Also, remember your family and friends will have their own opinion about what you should and shouldn’t be doing when it comes to weight loss. Not necessarily the best source for nutrition and fitness advice, which is why you want all your necessary weight loss team players in place!
Team Member #1
Team Member #2
Team Member #3
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Top 5 Key Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently
Best Weight Loss Plan – Team Member #3
All right, we’ve covered two critical members of your weight loss team – your doctor and your nutritionist. We’re ready to talk about weight loss team member #3.
Personal Trainer
Healthy eating and physical activity go hand-in-hand if you want to successfully lose weight. But, how much cardio do you need? Should you be lifting weights? How often do you need to workout? How long do you need to workout? A personal trainer can design a fitness routine and make sure you’re doing the exercises correctly.
Meeting with a personal trainer can be pricey, but there are alternatives – phone and/or internet coaching for half the cost (or less). There are many programs online that allow you to enter information and download workout routines based on your information. Many programs also allow you to track your progress. For best results, I encourage you to consult with a trainer in person for one or two appointments. This will allow you to have a fitness assessment and time to discuss your goals with your trainer. The trainer will also go through the recommend workout routine with you to make sure you understand all activities and are using the correct form and technique. After this, you can check-in with your trainer via phone or email to monitor program and answer questions. Some trainers even review video footage of workouts.
Don’t worry that working with a trainer means you have to have a gym membership. Trainers can develop a program for you at a gym or based in your home. You can get in a great workout anywhere – gym, home, park, etc.
Another lower cost option would be group training in which a small number of people work with a trainer at one time.
Just as with a nutritionist, make sure your trainer is qualified and has a current certification from a respected organization, such as the American College of Sports Medicine.
Weight Loss Team Member #1
Weight Loss Team Member #2
Weight Loss Team Member #4
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Top 5 Key Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently
Best Weight Loss Plan – Team Member #2
Like I mentioned in the previous post, losing weight and maintaining the weight loss requires several different factors all working together. To increase your success you need a team of experts behind. We already covered consulting your physician as team member #1. Let’s move on to weight loss team member #2.
Nutritionist
There is so much information available on weight loss and what foods to eat it can be very overwhelming to figure out exactly what you should be doing to successfully lose weight.
A trustworthy source to help you sort through the information is a registered dietitian.
Be aware that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, but a dietitian has received the education and training you’re looking for. There are several options for working with a dietitian. Health departments usually employee dietitians who may be available to work with you at lower fees. I’m available via online forums, such as the Mini Diet Makeover and Balance Program. Being able to offer a service via the web drastically saves on overhead costs (such as office space, utilities, etc.) that the cost of online services are much lower than office visits and still provide the same quality interaction and feedback. Also, some health insurance plans will reimburse the cost of your appointments with a dietitian, especially if you’re are referred by your physician.
A dietitian can assess your current dietary intake, nutrient needs, and assist you with establishing a realistic, practical plan towards meeting your nutrition and weight loss goals. The guidance you receive can range from daily meal plans to not regressing during the holiday’s to healthy cooking tips and much more.
Weight Loss Team Member #1
Weight Loss Team Member #3
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Top 5 Key Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently
Best Weight Loss Plan – Team Member #1
Successfully losing weight and maintaining the weight loss requires several different factors all working together. Get a team of experts behind you to successfully to achieve the long-term weight loss you desire and put together the best weight loss plan possible.
So, who do you need on your weight loss team?
1. Doctor – A step many skip!
2. Nutritionist – I’m happy to work with you:)
3. Personal Trainer – I’ll share a few options.
4. Support Group – If you’re a member of NewU, you’ve got this one covered.
Doctor
Before beginning any new exercise or health program, I recommend you consult your physician. Most people skip this step and jump right into the latest and greatest weight loss program they found. Now, granted if you’re young and in decent physical condition, receiving clearance from your physician may not be critical. However, if you are severely overweight, diagnosed with diabetes or have a family history of heart disease, it’s best to be evaluated by your physician before pushing your heart rate too high.
Be upfront with your physician about the reason for the appointment. Most likely you’re doctor will check your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood glucose, and maybe body fat as a way to evaluate your health and if there are any reasons you should not begin an exercise program. Don’t expect a detailed exercise routine and meal plan from your physician. For guidance on effective diet and fitness steps consult the appropriate expert.
Best Weight Loss Plan – Team Member #2
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Top 5 Key Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently
