March 2014 Challenge: Focus, and set ONE goal.

We are bombarded by nutrition information. It's all around us. Nutritional science is confusing and contradictory. The grocery store is a sea of food marketing and advertising. It's no wonder that the most common challenge my clients have is sorting through all of this information and feeling confident in their food choices.March is National Nutrition Month and to celebrate I challenge you to focus on ONE thing related to nutrition and/or exercise. Just pick ONE aspect of your health and wellness so that you can truly focus on reaching on that goal. This will ultimately empower you, boost your confidence and propel you forward.Set a SMARTER GoalFormulate your goal to be Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Time-oriented. At the end of this month, Evaluate and Reward yourself for achieving this goal.Instead of "eat more vegetables", your goal could be:

  • Put two different colored non-starchy vegetables on my plate. Do this at least two meals per day and at least 5 days per week. I will track this in a small journal that I will carry with me. Every Monday I will share my progress with a friend. At the end of this month I will evaluate my progress, and if I meet this goal, I will reward myself with a field trip to a local farm with my buddy.

Instead of, "exercise more", your goal could be:

  • Do strength-training exercises for at least 15 minutes, two days per week. I will track this on my kitchen calendar. I know how to do basic strength training exercises that can be done at home using my body weight and dumbbells that I already have. I will evaluate my progress at the end of this month, and if I achieve my goal I will reward myself by meeting with a personal trainer to learn new exercises that I can safely do at home. To better hold myself accountable, I will schedule sessions with a trainer for next month. If I don't meet my goal this month, I will reschedule sessions to the next month and keep working towards my goal.

Instead of "eat fewer processed foods", your goal could be:

  • Eat at least one 100% real food meal every day. I will use the 100 Days of Real Food blog to help me get started and provide resources. I will plan my real food meals for the week and at the end of each day review whether or not I met my goal. I will share my progress with my ____ (spouse, sibling, parent, friend, roommate etc) each week and brainstorm ways to promote my ability to eat 100% real foods. At the end of the month, if I have met my goal, I will put a new plant in my office.

Notice that in these examples, the rewards are meant to maintain momentum towards a healthier lifestyle. These rewards are meaningful to me...but what about you? What is something that feels indulgent to you? Additionally, these goals incorporate accountability, which is an important key to achieving your goals.Need Ideas?Review other Nourishing Results Monthly Challenges to get ideas and resources.

Share Your Goal!Post a comment here or on Facebook and tell us about your ONE SMARTER goal. If you are having difficulty coming up with ONE SMARTER goal, let me know, and I can help!Disclaimer: I have no connection to 100 Days of Real Food, nor do I endorse everything on this site. If you question something on the 100 Days of Real Food blog, and you'd like my opinion, please ask. The concept of eating real is excellent and there are numerous ways to achieve a whole foods diet.Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for personalized nutrition or health advice or healthcare. Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical care because of something you have read or accessed through this website.

Articles, Monthly ChallengesHana Abdulaziz Feeney, MS, RDweight loss