Our health is the most critical area that needs goal setting. We can achieve a better balance in our lifestyle by developing attainable and realistic health goals and working toward them. We can accomplish this by staying fit, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining a positive attitude.
There is no better time than now to start practicing healthier habits that will help you feel better and live longer. Whether you have a specific health condition like diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, or another or want to live better, there are numerous ways to manage your health, ranging from nutrition and exercise to sleep and stress management. What matters most is that your health goals are long-term, realistic, and do not contradict your core values.
Types Of Health Goals
Since health is a significant area to cover, we can broadly classify it into 3 categories: Physical, Mental, and Social.
Physical Health Goals
These objectives are all about physical health. It can be related to strength training, such as setting a fitness goal or gradually building endurance to complete a marathon. One example of a physical health goal is to lose weight. It takes specific planning, such as running continuously 1 mile daily for 6 weeks or working out 5 days a week, walking 10,000 steps per day for a month, stretching for 15 minutes after each workout, and drinking 2-3 liters of water daily.
These are just a few examples of how we can lose weight through various fitness activities.
The goal of physical health is more than just getting in shape. It’s also about eating a healthy diet, such as limiting refined and processed carbs and eating protein-rich foods for muscle repair and strength and fruits and vegetables for essential vitamins and minerals. Physical inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a widening variety of other chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus, cancer (colon and breast), obesity, hypertension, bone and joint diseases (osteoporosis and osteoarthritis), and depression.[1]
Mental Health Goals
Mental health goals are about addressing your emotional regulation, managing stress, and dealing with your inner critic. Refresh yourself from stress and anxiety takes planning such as being active at all times. Meditation, taking breaks whenever you feel stressed, and journaling means writing something about yourself, learning some hobbies such as trekking, watching a movie, or taking a trip.Â
Routine physical activity is also associated with improved psychological well-being (e.g., reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.
Psychological well-being is vital for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. Still, it also has important implications for preventing and managing other chronic diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis (fragile bones, hypertension, obesity, cancer, and depression).[2]
Social Health Goals
Few of us have trouble forming and maintaining relationships. You can overcome this by setting social goals that aid in the maintenance of meaningful, loving, and respectful relationships. Examples of social health goals include expressing yourself, learning to set boundaries, and becoming a better listener. Having a healthy social circle gives you a sense of belonging and purpose.Â
Social connections not only provide pleasure but also impact our long-term health, such as good sleep and a healthy diet. According to a recent survey, people who have satisfying relationships with their family, friends, and community are happier and have fewer health problems.
Several recent review articles provide consistent and compelling evidence linking a low quantity or quality of social ties with a host of conditions, including the development and progression of cardiovascular disease, recurrent myocardial infarction (heart attack), atherosclerosis (buildup of fats on the artery walls), autonomic dysregulation (dysfunction of the nerves), high blood pressure, cancer and delayed cancer recovery, and slower wound healing. [3]
Conclusion
It is critical to recognize the health and well-being result of your daily activities and the habits you choose to form. To improve our health in all areas, we must consider the “big picture.” Every aspect of our daily lives contributes to the holistic health and well-being puzzle. Most of the time, improving one part of health will benefit another. This interconnected continuous development system is a surefire way to make rapid progress. The health objectives listed above may serve as an excellent starting point for developing additional health objectives that result in a happy and healthy existence.
References
- C. Bouchard and R. J. Shephard, “Physical activity, fitness, and health: The model and key concepts.” in Physical activity, fitness, and health: International proceedings and consensus statement. Champaign, IL, England: Human Kinetics Publishers, 1994,
- D. E. Warburton, N. Gledhill, and A. Quinney, “Musculoskeletal fitness and health.,” Can. J. Appl. Physiol. = Rev. Can. Physiol. Appl., Apr. 2001.
- K. A. Ertel, M. M. Glymour, and L. F. Berkman, “Social networks and health: A life course perspective integrating observational and experimental evidence,” J. Soc. Pers. Relat., 2009.
