Why You Shouldn't Make a New Year's Resolution
| 1 min read
00:00
00:00
About the Show
On this episode, Chuck Gaidica is joined by Angela Moore, NASM Master Trainer & Fitness Nutrition Specialist. Together, they discuss reasons why you should consider not making a New Year's resolution this year.
In this episode of A Healthier Michigan Podcast, we explore:
- Why resolutions are flawed
- What we should focus on instead of resolutions
- Focusing on changing behavior and how to approach it
- Why goals work better than resolutions
For more info on Angela Moore, visit Angela T. Moore (empoweredbyangela.com)
Transcript
Chuck Gaidica:
Did you know 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by mid-February? This is A Healthier Michigan Podcast episode 148. Coming up, we discuss why you should consider ditching the resolution this New Year.
Did you know 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by mid-February? This is A Healthier Michigan Podcast episode 148. Coming up, we discuss why you should consider ditching the resolution this New Year.
Welcome to A Healthier Michigan Podcast. It's a podcast dedicated to navigating how we can improve our health and wellbeing through small healthy habits we can start implementing right now. I'm your host, Chuck Gaidica. Every other week, we'll sit down with a certified expert to discuss topics that cover nutrition, fitness, a lot more. And on this episode, we're going deep into New Year's resolutions. Have you already made one? Have you already broken it? Oh, no. Why should we consider approaching changes that we want to make in life the way we do? And how can we do it in a more constructive way?
With me today is integrative health expert, therapist, NASM master trainer and fitness nutrition specialist, Angela Moore. It is so good to see you again. Happy New Year.
Angela Moore:
Happy New Year to you.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, thanks. We start this New Year, and it seems like it's only a matter of time. We make a resolution, we start talking about resolutions, or we just think about it. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because you've got to start something before you can begin it. But, we take a moment, we reflect on something we want to change for the better. And often, Angela, it seems like with all or nothing mentality that we've got, we're either going in the deep end of the pool or we're not really thinking of wading in. Or even worse, it's a lofty goal that's not realistic and we can't even attain it anyway. What makes more sense, and how can you advise all of us on maybe making resolutions, and maybe considering a different way to go about it?
Angela Moore:
Well, it's interesting because a resolution is pretty much a firm decision to do something or to not do something. I found that, often times, when you make a resolution, it's easy to make the decision. What's not easy is thinking about the actions that you have to take after you make a decision.
One of the things that I try to recommend to my clients and many individuals that seek my support is to, instead of doing a resolution, let's set goals. When you set a goal, I find that when you do that, you're able to do that and make a commitment, as opposed to a quick decision.
Chuck Gaidica:
Oh, that's interesting. But you know, I was talking to a relative back in November who was saying, "I've got to resolve to do something." It wasn't a New Year's resolution. "But, I guess I'd better wade through the holidays." And I said, "Well, why? It's going to be the same resolve you have to make now versus waiting until January 4th, or 10th, or whatever." So is just the idea of the New Year's idea flawed, in a sense?
Angela Moore:
I think it can be flawed in the sense that, if you set a goal for something ... Okay, let's say you decide you're going to set a goal, whether you call it a resolution or a goal. If it's too lofty, if it's too large, one, you're going to set yourself up for failure. It's no way that you're going to be accomplished something that is unrealistic. Unfortunately, we use events as motivation for change, as opposed to mindset or wanting to be better versions of ourselves. You should always want to be a better version of yourself and that's something you should do always, not just because you have something coming up. Or, not something that you delay because you're saying, "Well, after I get through the holidays, then I'm going to start living better." Because really, the moment that thought comes to your mind where, "I want to be better," why not start right now? Why not start today?
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, that was my point. I guess we've all been through this in one way or another, in our own context. The idea I'm going to start a diet, now called lifestyle change, but I'll start it Monday. Well then, which Monday are we talking about? We do tend, as human beings, to kick the can down the road anyway. We already know that about ourselves, don't we?
Angela Moore:
Most definitely. It's funny that you reference eating, because I find that's typically what a lot of people say they want to change after New Years. And a lot of times, they delay it because they say, "Well, I want to eat as much as I want during the holidays. And then, after the holidays, then I'm going to really dig in deep and be committed."
The thing is, your next meal is an opportunity to choose healthier. And even if that next meal is not the healthiest meal that you could have selected at that time, the following meal can be better. I think you understand what I'm saying here, is my-
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Angela Moore:
I'm just encouraging you to always want to be your best. Every thought is an opportunity to start to change behaviors for the better.
Chuck Gaidica:
This idea you just mentioned a few minutes ago, of using an event to remind us. We do that in other very healthy, holistic ways. Set your clocks back, and we fall back, and don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke detector. Well, there's an event. It's a trigger. It does make me think and stop about my family's safety, my safety. I think having New Year's, or whatever your event is, is not such a bad thing. But this idea of changing behavior now versus waiting is probably not a bad idea.
Angela Moore:
I think if it helps you start something, that's good. If a specific date helps you remember to do something, to change the batteries in your smoke detector, to start to do something that you know is beneficial to your health. But something I always say is health is not something that you stop. You may start it, but you don't ever stop it. It's not a race that you ever finish. Because really, once you make the decision to be healthier, it's not even a marathon because it doesn't end. It's a continuous journey that I would hope that you would stay on for the rest of your life. It's going to have its ups and downs, it's mountains and valleys. But if you see it as a journey of health, and healthier decisions, and healthier actions, and you intentionally throughout each and every day try to make better decisions, over time what you'll find is your life will be better for those decisions that you made along the way. And for the actions that you took, to support the decisions that you made.
Chuck Gaidica:
You've already talked about this idea, we've said it many times on the podcast. SMART goals, S-M-A-R-T. The A can be achievable, right? Setting yourself up for something so lofty, even if it is losing weight. Well, that's admirable, we all want to try to do that, most of us, somehow. If you say, "I'm going to lose 80 pounds in two months," probably not.
Angela Moore:
Well, it's interesting that you say that about losing weight because often times, people associate losing weight with exercise. And rightfully so, as well as eating better. But to say, "I'm going to exercise," do you know what that means, to exercise?
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, right.
Angela Moore:
Are you going to be doing cardiovascular exercise? Are you going to be doing strength training? Are you going to be doing HIIT intervals? High intensity interval training. Are you going to be doing yoga? What forms of exercise are you going to be doing? If you're going to be doing strength training, are you going to be using free weights, machines, calisthenics? And really, thinking through once you make the decision to do something, what are the actions steps that I need to take to make that decision beneficial and profitable for my life?
Same thing with eating and saying, "I want to eat healthier." What is healthy eating for you? Are you going to be vegetarian, vegan, pescetarian? Whatever you decide to do, have you even thought that through, and do you know how to do that? Some people say they want to be vegan, and they're idea of being vegan is to go buy an impossible burger, and to buy a lot of processed vegan foods. Is that really a healthy form of veganism? Or would it be whole foods, that are nutrient dense and calorie dilute, that are going to give you a lot of nutrients that allow you to, over time, improve your overall health.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, it's funny because you're such an expert and you're rambling through these. I love these names. There's the vegetarian, we all get that one. Pescetarian, is that where you concentrate on fish, right?
Angela Moore:
Yes.
Chuck Gaidica:
All right. And then, I would consider myself flexitarian.
Angela Moore:
Yes, yes. I forgot that one.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, yeah. There are all these titles. And if you're just starting something new, you can get swamped when you're trying to play Google health coach for yourself because you see all these titles and you go, "Oh my gosh, I don't even know. Am I flexi, pesci, what am I?" And then you go, "Ah, heck with it."
I think you've got to be careful, too, that you don't overwhelm and swamp yourself with so much info. If it's to start jogging, well just get the shoes, bundle up, and let's go.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. Yeah. Do you even know what shoes to buy?
Chuck Gaidica:
Oh, yeah.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. Because my shoes that look kind of cute may not be the shoes that I'm going to go running in.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, that's funny. I never think of my shoes as cute, but it's just the way it is. That's a difference right there.
So if I'm looking to change my behavior and start something new, how do we approach it so we are literally setting ourselves up for success?
Angela Moore:
It's funny, you may laugh when I say this. The best way to set yourself up for success is to acknowledge that you're going to have failure. Truly. Because truly, in order to become successful, there's some times, and moments, and experiences along the way where you're going to fail. You're going to make mistakes. You're going to have the intention to do the right thing, and not be able to do it. So I will say, first, accept that there are going to be some mistakes along the way. And truly, if you want to be successful, understand that it is the day-to-day, the moment-by-moment, the minute, the second-by-second decisions that you make along the way that'll eventually help you get there. You want to make sure that you're not trying to do something that's unachievable, unrealistic. Too short term, most definitely.
And also, recognize that when you're trying to do something, if you need help and support with the goal that you've set. And perhaps, it's something that is too grand, or too complicated or complex for you to do by yourself. And maybe, seeking the assistance of someone that has knowledge, and information, and even resources to help you achieve your goals so that you can be successful is definitely very helpful.
Chuck Gaidica:
And you're speaking about someone like yourself, a coach. Or a nutritionist, or a dietician. Somebody who can step in and help you.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. It's interesting because the clients that come to me, whether they're coming to me as a therapist, or they're coming to me as an NASM master trainer ... Of course I combined, I provide those integrative health services because what I recognized is that those people that want to make the physical changes, often times the reason that they're not able to be successful making those physical changes is because of the mental health challenges that they have.
So I have found that it really is a three-pillar approach. My goal is to help you be mentally strong, physically fit, and nutritionally balanced. I find that if you can master all those three components that, over time, you will be successful in pretty much anything that you do. Because any goals that you set along the way, you're being able to navigate through them in a struggle for stronger mindset. You're more balanced in the way that you're eating, and as well as you're taking very good care of yourself. So you're better prepared for any goals that you're trying to achieve, and you're better prepared to deal with any challenges that are going to come up as you're trying to achieve those goals.
Chuck Gaidica:
So I think about this idea you just spoke about, of giving ourselves a little grace and understanding that we're going to fail along the way. I think of the stock market. If you follow it, even if you don't know much about it, you know it does this all the time. It's going up, it goes down, it goes up, it goes down. But what we're looking for is an inclination. We don't mind it going up and down, as long as overall, we're going up, we're seeing progress. I think that's so valuable to say that, to give ourselves a little love to know, well we're going to miss jogging. Or we're going to go to a birthday party and have some cake and pizza. If you look at the overall longterm plan, and you're progressing up and onward, I think you make a great point. Give ourselves a little love there.
Angela Moore:
Well, what's interesting is I recognize it's the times when you fail when you tend to improve the most.
It's interesting. Years ago, I had a little boy that I was working with that was really beating himself up over a sport that he was participating in. One of the things that I told him, I said, "It's really funny because when you do your sport and you're doing really well, you're very happy, you're very excited. But you don't think about how you were able to do well in that sport." I said, "But when you mess up, you think about it." You go back, you review. How did I make this mistake? Or what did I do wrong that didn't give me the outcome that I wanted?
So really, I really say it's failure, it's really opportunities for growth. One of the famous quotes I believe that Nelson Mandela said was, "You were either learning or you are learning." That is such an amazing thing to think about because understanding that extra time is when you make a mistake, or you fall short, or you eat the thing that you didn't want to do. Or you fail to exercise, or keep up with that commitment that you made to yourself.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Angela Moore:
That's an opportunity to say, "Well, why is it?" Why is it that I decided to eat that really unhealthy food? Or why is it that I decided not to exercise? Or why is it that I behaved in that very unhealthy way in that situation? And what can I do going forward, to make a healthier decision? Or move instead of being stagnant and not moving? To make a healthier decision, and then follow it with better behavior. It's going to better prepare you for challenges later in life.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, and isn't that true in all of life? Even some of the greatest success stories we've seen in business and other places, there's a ton of failure. Babe Ruth, the baseball player. We know these things intellectually, and yet sometimes it's hard to apply them to ourselves. That failure goes along with greatness, sometimes. Often times.
Angela Moore:
It's an essential part, actually. That is actually what I teach my clients is it's an essential, necessary part towards success.
Chuck Gaidica:
So you've got so many varied off ramps in your practice. Therapist, trainer, you can cover nutrition. When you think about goals, if you look back at recent or your longterm practice, what are some of the best ways that you have been able to advise your clients and you have seen success? Somebody may call it a hack, so it doesn't really matter. But when you're setting a goal, not just a resolution, what are you seeing are the successful ways to create goals and then keep on moving toward progress?
Angela Moore:
Yeah. I would say, first, making the commitment. That once you decide what goal you're trying to achieve, making the commitment that you're going to follow through with whatever actions are necessary to make yourself successful in achieving that goal. And really, every day is an opportunity to, as I said before, to be a better version of yourself.
And along the way, if you can recognize that each experience, the minute you wake up and you open your eyes, is an opportunity to set your mindset to a positive or negative mindset. In your interactions that you have with special loved ones in your life, is an opportunity to have a good, healthy interaction, or have a negative interaction. And if you have a negative interaction, what are you going to do to correct that, if you can? So before you leave the house, if you have a negative interaction with a spouse, or a loved one, or your son or daughter, what are you going to do to fix it? So that when you leave the house, you feel better, instead of leaving angry or frustrated.
When you're driving along the way, I will say one, did you allow yourself enough time for the drive? But let's just say, and then once you get in the car, are you going to be frustrated? And if you're feeling frustrated, are you going to keep that feeling of frustration, and let it linger as you go through you driving? Bring that into your work environment, or your school environment, or wherever you're going for the day.
As you're going through each experience through the day where you're interacting with coworkers, or interacting with peers, or interacting with other individuals, are you going to have a positive mindset or a negative mindset? If someone acts towards you negatively, are you going to let that negatively impact you for the rest of your day, or are you going to shrug it off and keep going? Or, are you going to say, "I'm going to be responsible for the energy I bring into the room, and I'm going to be positive. I'm going to bring positivity into everything, I'm going to bring excellence into everything that I do. I'm going to make healthy, excellent decisions as I go throughout the day."
When you're going from meetings, or you going to the classes, or whatever it is that you're doing throughout the day, do you have the mindset that you're going to do it in an excellent, healthy way? Or, do you have this mindset where you know what, I'm just going to halfway do it and not give my best?
And then as you end your day, how do you want to end your day? Do you want to end your day with a healthy meal, maybe some physical activity and movement? Do you want to end your day spending quality time with your loved one? Or quality time with yourself? And then, when you settle down, do you want to reflect on your day and feel positive about it, and end on a real nice, positive note? Or are you going to get on emails, and start doing work, or watch something that's very stressful, and end your day in a very negative way?
So basically, what I just told you is how you can make your day successful, and how you would navigate through a day.
Chuck Gaidica:
I think one of the upsides to practicing that the best that we all can is that you can indeed become an influencer. If you have a goal to start to drop a few pounds and you do it, in a positive way without speaking about it, you could be influencing your entire family. If you're positive at work, you're going to be the person they're looking at saying, "I don't know what that guy's got, but I want some of it." I think there's so much that can come from that mindset change that you're talking about, and encouraging us all about.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. Making a decision that, if your mindset's not right, if you're noticing a negative shift, taking responsibility to fix it. That's truly how you're able to set goals and achieve those goals, and how you're able to continuously be successful. Understanding that, along the way, it is a series of firm decisions, it is a series of resolutions that you're making throughout the day that ultimately will lead to your success. But set the goal that, each and every day, I'm going to be my best, and my best and healthiest self.
Chuck Gaidica:
Are you big on writing things down? Whether you're that person that needs ... Here, I've got them handy, right here near me here at my desk. Post-Its, I'm going to put a few on the mirror to let me know something, or what my goal is. Or, even journaling after the fact, or having an app on your phone to help you track your food intake, et cetera. Are you big on writing, journaling, or making it visible so you can actually find success in your goals?
Angela Moore:
Yes, definitely. I'm actually a really big fan of writing things down, even if you type it up on your computer and print it out. Because I find that, often times, if it's unseen it's not thought about. So having your goals, or reminders of things that you want to do posted throughout your house, whether it's on your mirror ... I have an actual board where I put things that I'm trying to do on that board. I can look at that board and it keeps me on track with the goals that I'm trying to achieve.
I also love the idea of even putting affirmations or motivational phrases on your Post-Its, on your mirror. So in addition to thinking about your goals, give yourself some inspiration and motivation along the way.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Well, I think now I'm going to go out after part of our discussion today, and when I get jogging shoes, I'm going to get cute shoes, to your point. I'm going to get positive, and look at my feet and say, "Look how cute my feet are today." Right? That's a positive affirmation.
Angela Moore:
Just make sure they're good shoes. Make sure they're good shoes. I'm really particular about my running shoes because you know I'm an avid runner. I love to run, I love to exercise outside. I found these really cool shoes. I won't name the brand because want them brand dropped. But they are so colorful, and they are so vibrant. When I wear those shoes, people actually go, "I like your shoes." I'm like, "Thanks!"
Chuck Gaidica:
Isn't that nice? Well, see? That's a thumbs up for whatever your goal is for that day.
As we start to wrap things up, give us some takeaways, maybe they're bullet points in your mind, how we create not resolutions but successful goals for 2024.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. Well, you mentioned SMART. Of course, you want your goals to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound or time based. That's a very popular phrase, a very easy way of remembering that.
Give yourself some grace along the way. Understanding that, even though you have the intention, and you've made the decision, and you've even made the commitment to do something, that sometimes you're going to fall short. Sometimes, you're going to want to make the right decision and want to do the right thing, and your situation may not allow it.
I will also say understand when you need help and support. So anytime something's too heavy, or too complicated or difficult, that's why people are around you. There are people with knowledge and expertise that can share with you information. Some people have gone through the journey and been successful in it. Those people that have done something successfully that you want to achieve, reach out to them. Ask them, "How did you do that? Can you help and support me along the way?"
And then, I will say something I always say is what you do determines you. Everything that you do each and every day is going to determine your tomorrow. If you remember that, when you're making a decision, when you decide to do this over that, whatever you decide, it's going to ultimately determine your tomorrow. If you want a better tomorrow, you're going to have to start making the best decisions today.
Chuck Gaidica:
Great stuff. Angela, it's good to see you. You've integrated, which makes sense because that's part of your great title. Integrative health expert, I think that should just be on a neon sign, letting us all know. Therapist, NASM master trainer, and fitness nutrition specialist, Angela Moore. Thanks for today, and as always it's great to see you. And happiest and blessed New Year.
Angela Moore:
Yes, you too, and many blessings to your family.
Chuck Gaidica:
Thanks so much. And thank you for listening to A Healthier Michigan Podcast. It's brought to you by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. If you like our show, you want to know more, you can check us out on YouTube. We've got a YouTube channel. You can also go to our website, ahealthiermichigan.org/podcast. Or you can leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can always follow us on all the social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. You can get new episodes, old episodes, take them with you. You're going to go out, and you're going to have a goal. Well, you can wear these, and you can go out for your jog or something, so you can use your smartphone or tablet and take us with you. Be sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. I'm Chuck Gaidica. Be well.
With me today is integrative health expert, therapist, NASM master trainer and fitness nutrition specialist, Angela Moore. It is so good to see you again. Happy New Year.
Angela Moore:
Happy New Year to you.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, thanks. We start this New Year, and it seems like it's only a matter of time. We make a resolution, we start talking about resolutions, or we just think about it. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because you've got to start something before you can begin it. But, we take a moment, we reflect on something we want to change for the better. And often, Angela, it seems like with all or nothing mentality that we've got, we're either going in the deep end of the pool or we're not really thinking of wading in. Or even worse, it's a lofty goal that's not realistic and we can't even attain it anyway. What makes more sense, and how can you advise all of us on maybe making resolutions, and maybe considering a different way to go about it?
Angela Moore:
Well, it's interesting because a resolution is pretty much a firm decision to do something or to not do something. I found that, often times, when you make a resolution, it's easy to make the decision. What's not easy is thinking about the actions that you have to take after you make a decision.
One of the things that I try to recommend to my clients and many individuals that seek my support is to, instead of doing a resolution, let's set goals. When you set a goal, I find that when you do that, you're able to do that and make a commitment, as opposed to a quick decision.
Chuck Gaidica:
Oh, that's interesting. But you know, I was talking to a relative back in November who was saying, "I've got to resolve to do something." It wasn't a New Year's resolution. "But, I guess I'd better wade through the holidays." And I said, "Well, why? It's going to be the same resolve you have to make now versus waiting until January 4th, or 10th, or whatever." So is just the idea of the New Year's idea flawed, in a sense?
Angela Moore:
I think it can be flawed in the sense that, if you set a goal for something ... Okay, let's say you decide you're going to set a goal, whether you call it a resolution or a goal. If it's too lofty, if it's too large, one, you're going to set yourself up for failure. It's no way that you're going to be accomplished something that is unrealistic. Unfortunately, we use events as motivation for change, as opposed to mindset or wanting to be better versions of ourselves. You should always want to be a better version of yourself and that's something you should do always, not just because you have something coming up. Or, not something that you delay because you're saying, "Well, after I get through the holidays, then I'm going to start living better." Because really, the moment that thought comes to your mind where, "I want to be better," why not start right now? Why not start today?
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, that was my point. I guess we've all been through this in one way or another, in our own context. The idea I'm going to start a diet, now called lifestyle change, but I'll start it Monday. Well then, which Monday are we talking about? We do tend, as human beings, to kick the can down the road anyway. We already know that about ourselves, don't we?
Angela Moore:
Most definitely. It's funny that you reference eating, because I find that's typically what a lot of people say they want to change after New Years. And a lot of times, they delay it because they say, "Well, I want to eat as much as I want during the holidays. And then, after the holidays, then I'm going to really dig in deep and be committed."
The thing is, your next meal is an opportunity to choose healthier. And even if that next meal is not the healthiest meal that you could have selected at that time, the following meal can be better. I think you understand what I'm saying here, is my-
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Angela Moore:
I'm just encouraging you to always want to be your best. Every thought is an opportunity to start to change behaviors for the better.
Chuck Gaidica:
This idea you just mentioned a few minutes ago, of using an event to remind us. We do that in other very healthy, holistic ways. Set your clocks back, and we fall back, and don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke detector. Well, there's an event. It's a trigger. It does make me think and stop about my family's safety, my safety. I think having New Year's, or whatever your event is, is not such a bad thing. But this idea of changing behavior now versus waiting is probably not a bad idea.
Angela Moore:
I think if it helps you start something, that's good. If a specific date helps you remember to do something, to change the batteries in your smoke detector, to start to do something that you know is beneficial to your health. But something I always say is health is not something that you stop. You may start it, but you don't ever stop it. It's not a race that you ever finish. Because really, once you make the decision to be healthier, it's not even a marathon because it doesn't end. It's a continuous journey that I would hope that you would stay on for the rest of your life. It's going to have its ups and downs, it's mountains and valleys. But if you see it as a journey of health, and healthier decisions, and healthier actions, and you intentionally throughout each and every day try to make better decisions, over time what you'll find is your life will be better for those decisions that you made along the way. And for the actions that you took, to support the decisions that you made.
Chuck Gaidica:
You've already talked about this idea, we've said it many times on the podcast. SMART goals, S-M-A-R-T. The A can be achievable, right? Setting yourself up for something so lofty, even if it is losing weight. Well, that's admirable, we all want to try to do that, most of us, somehow. If you say, "I'm going to lose 80 pounds in two months," probably not.
Angela Moore:
Well, it's interesting that you say that about losing weight because often times, people associate losing weight with exercise. And rightfully so, as well as eating better. But to say, "I'm going to exercise," do you know what that means, to exercise?
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, right.
Angela Moore:
Are you going to be doing cardiovascular exercise? Are you going to be doing strength training? Are you going to be doing HIIT intervals? High intensity interval training. Are you going to be doing yoga? What forms of exercise are you going to be doing? If you're going to be doing strength training, are you going to be using free weights, machines, calisthenics? And really, thinking through once you make the decision to do something, what are the actions steps that I need to take to make that decision beneficial and profitable for my life?
Same thing with eating and saying, "I want to eat healthier." What is healthy eating for you? Are you going to be vegetarian, vegan, pescetarian? Whatever you decide to do, have you even thought that through, and do you know how to do that? Some people say they want to be vegan, and they're idea of being vegan is to go buy an impossible burger, and to buy a lot of processed vegan foods. Is that really a healthy form of veganism? Or would it be whole foods, that are nutrient dense and calorie dilute, that are going to give you a lot of nutrients that allow you to, over time, improve your overall health.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, it's funny because you're such an expert and you're rambling through these. I love these names. There's the vegetarian, we all get that one. Pescetarian, is that where you concentrate on fish, right?
Angela Moore:
Yes.
Chuck Gaidica:
All right. And then, I would consider myself flexitarian.
Angela Moore:
Yes, yes. I forgot that one.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, yeah. There are all these titles. And if you're just starting something new, you can get swamped when you're trying to play Google health coach for yourself because you see all these titles and you go, "Oh my gosh, I don't even know. Am I flexi, pesci, what am I?" And then you go, "Ah, heck with it."
I think you've got to be careful, too, that you don't overwhelm and swamp yourself with so much info. If it's to start jogging, well just get the shoes, bundle up, and let's go.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. Yeah. Do you even know what shoes to buy?
Chuck Gaidica:
Oh, yeah.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. Because my shoes that look kind of cute may not be the shoes that I'm going to go running in.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, that's funny. I never think of my shoes as cute, but it's just the way it is. That's a difference right there.
So if I'm looking to change my behavior and start something new, how do we approach it so we are literally setting ourselves up for success?
Angela Moore:
It's funny, you may laugh when I say this. The best way to set yourself up for success is to acknowledge that you're going to have failure. Truly. Because truly, in order to become successful, there's some times, and moments, and experiences along the way where you're going to fail. You're going to make mistakes. You're going to have the intention to do the right thing, and not be able to do it. So I will say, first, accept that there are going to be some mistakes along the way. And truly, if you want to be successful, understand that it is the day-to-day, the moment-by-moment, the minute, the second-by-second decisions that you make along the way that'll eventually help you get there. You want to make sure that you're not trying to do something that's unachievable, unrealistic. Too short term, most definitely.
And also, recognize that when you're trying to do something, if you need help and support with the goal that you've set. And perhaps, it's something that is too grand, or too complicated or complex for you to do by yourself. And maybe, seeking the assistance of someone that has knowledge, and information, and even resources to help you achieve your goals so that you can be successful is definitely very helpful.
Chuck Gaidica:
And you're speaking about someone like yourself, a coach. Or a nutritionist, or a dietician. Somebody who can step in and help you.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. It's interesting because the clients that come to me, whether they're coming to me as a therapist, or they're coming to me as an NASM master trainer ... Of course I combined, I provide those integrative health services because what I recognized is that those people that want to make the physical changes, often times the reason that they're not able to be successful making those physical changes is because of the mental health challenges that they have.
So I have found that it really is a three-pillar approach. My goal is to help you be mentally strong, physically fit, and nutritionally balanced. I find that if you can master all those three components that, over time, you will be successful in pretty much anything that you do. Because any goals that you set along the way, you're being able to navigate through them in a struggle for stronger mindset. You're more balanced in the way that you're eating, and as well as you're taking very good care of yourself. So you're better prepared for any goals that you're trying to achieve, and you're better prepared to deal with any challenges that are going to come up as you're trying to achieve those goals.
Chuck Gaidica:
So I think about this idea you just spoke about, of giving ourselves a little grace and understanding that we're going to fail along the way. I think of the stock market. If you follow it, even if you don't know much about it, you know it does this all the time. It's going up, it goes down, it goes up, it goes down. But what we're looking for is an inclination. We don't mind it going up and down, as long as overall, we're going up, we're seeing progress. I think that's so valuable to say that, to give ourselves a little love to know, well we're going to miss jogging. Or we're going to go to a birthday party and have some cake and pizza. If you look at the overall longterm plan, and you're progressing up and onward, I think you make a great point. Give ourselves a little love there.
Angela Moore:
Well, what's interesting is I recognize it's the times when you fail when you tend to improve the most.
It's interesting. Years ago, I had a little boy that I was working with that was really beating himself up over a sport that he was participating in. One of the things that I told him, I said, "It's really funny because when you do your sport and you're doing really well, you're very happy, you're very excited. But you don't think about how you were able to do well in that sport." I said, "But when you mess up, you think about it." You go back, you review. How did I make this mistake? Or what did I do wrong that didn't give me the outcome that I wanted?
So really, I really say it's failure, it's really opportunities for growth. One of the famous quotes I believe that Nelson Mandela said was, "You were either learning or you are learning." That is such an amazing thing to think about because understanding that extra time is when you make a mistake, or you fall short, or you eat the thing that you didn't want to do. Or you fail to exercise, or keep up with that commitment that you made to yourself.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Angela Moore:
That's an opportunity to say, "Well, why is it?" Why is it that I decided to eat that really unhealthy food? Or why is it that I decided not to exercise? Or why is it that I behaved in that very unhealthy way in that situation? And what can I do going forward, to make a healthier decision? Or move instead of being stagnant and not moving? To make a healthier decision, and then follow it with better behavior. It's going to better prepare you for challenges later in life.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, and isn't that true in all of life? Even some of the greatest success stories we've seen in business and other places, there's a ton of failure. Babe Ruth, the baseball player. We know these things intellectually, and yet sometimes it's hard to apply them to ourselves. That failure goes along with greatness, sometimes. Often times.
Angela Moore:
It's an essential part, actually. That is actually what I teach my clients is it's an essential, necessary part towards success.
Chuck Gaidica:
So you've got so many varied off ramps in your practice. Therapist, trainer, you can cover nutrition. When you think about goals, if you look back at recent or your longterm practice, what are some of the best ways that you have been able to advise your clients and you have seen success? Somebody may call it a hack, so it doesn't really matter. But when you're setting a goal, not just a resolution, what are you seeing are the successful ways to create goals and then keep on moving toward progress?
Angela Moore:
Yeah. I would say, first, making the commitment. That once you decide what goal you're trying to achieve, making the commitment that you're going to follow through with whatever actions are necessary to make yourself successful in achieving that goal. And really, every day is an opportunity to, as I said before, to be a better version of yourself.
And along the way, if you can recognize that each experience, the minute you wake up and you open your eyes, is an opportunity to set your mindset to a positive or negative mindset. In your interactions that you have with special loved ones in your life, is an opportunity to have a good, healthy interaction, or have a negative interaction. And if you have a negative interaction, what are you going to do to correct that, if you can? So before you leave the house, if you have a negative interaction with a spouse, or a loved one, or your son or daughter, what are you going to do to fix it? So that when you leave the house, you feel better, instead of leaving angry or frustrated.
When you're driving along the way, I will say one, did you allow yourself enough time for the drive? But let's just say, and then once you get in the car, are you going to be frustrated? And if you're feeling frustrated, are you going to keep that feeling of frustration, and let it linger as you go through you driving? Bring that into your work environment, or your school environment, or wherever you're going for the day.
As you're going through each experience through the day where you're interacting with coworkers, or interacting with peers, or interacting with other individuals, are you going to have a positive mindset or a negative mindset? If someone acts towards you negatively, are you going to let that negatively impact you for the rest of your day, or are you going to shrug it off and keep going? Or, are you going to say, "I'm going to be responsible for the energy I bring into the room, and I'm going to be positive. I'm going to bring positivity into everything, I'm going to bring excellence into everything that I do. I'm going to make healthy, excellent decisions as I go throughout the day."
When you're going from meetings, or you going to the classes, or whatever it is that you're doing throughout the day, do you have the mindset that you're going to do it in an excellent, healthy way? Or, do you have this mindset where you know what, I'm just going to halfway do it and not give my best?
And then as you end your day, how do you want to end your day? Do you want to end your day with a healthy meal, maybe some physical activity and movement? Do you want to end your day spending quality time with your loved one? Or quality time with yourself? And then, when you settle down, do you want to reflect on your day and feel positive about it, and end on a real nice, positive note? Or are you going to get on emails, and start doing work, or watch something that's very stressful, and end your day in a very negative way?
So basically, what I just told you is how you can make your day successful, and how you would navigate through a day.
Chuck Gaidica:
I think one of the upsides to practicing that the best that we all can is that you can indeed become an influencer. If you have a goal to start to drop a few pounds and you do it, in a positive way without speaking about it, you could be influencing your entire family. If you're positive at work, you're going to be the person they're looking at saying, "I don't know what that guy's got, but I want some of it." I think there's so much that can come from that mindset change that you're talking about, and encouraging us all about.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. Making a decision that, if your mindset's not right, if you're noticing a negative shift, taking responsibility to fix it. That's truly how you're able to set goals and achieve those goals, and how you're able to continuously be successful. Understanding that, along the way, it is a series of firm decisions, it is a series of resolutions that you're making throughout the day that ultimately will lead to your success. But set the goal that, each and every day, I'm going to be my best, and my best and healthiest self.
Chuck Gaidica:
Are you big on writing things down? Whether you're that person that needs ... Here, I've got them handy, right here near me here at my desk. Post-Its, I'm going to put a few on the mirror to let me know something, or what my goal is. Or, even journaling after the fact, or having an app on your phone to help you track your food intake, et cetera. Are you big on writing, journaling, or making it visible so you can actually find success in your goals?
Angela Moore:
Yes, definitely. I'm actually a really big fan of writing things down, even if you type it up on your computer and print it out. Because I find that, often times, if it's unseen it's not thought about. So having your goals, or reminders of things that you want to do posted throughout your house, whether it's on your mirror ... I have an actual board where I put things that I'm trying to do on that board. I can look at that board and it keeps me on track with the goals that I'm trying to achieve.
I also love the idea of even putting affirmations or motivational phrases on your Post-Its, on your mirror. So in addition to thinking about your goals, give yourself some inspiration and motivation along the way.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Well, I think now I'm going to go out after part of our discussion today, and when I get jogging shoes, I'm going to get cute shoes, to your point. I'm going to get positive, and look at my feet and say, "Look how cute my feet are today." Right? That's a positive affirmation.
Angela Moore:
Just make sure they're good shoes. Make sure they're good shoes. I'm really particular about my running shoes because you know I'm an avid runner. I love to run, I love to exercise outside. I found these really cool shoes. I won't name the brand because want them brand dropped. But they are so colorful, and they are so vibrant. When I wear those shoes, people actually go, "I like your shoes." I'm like, "Thanks!"
Chuck Gaidica:
Isn't that nice? Well, see? That's a thumbs up for whatever your goal is for that day.
As we start to wrap things up, give us some takeaways, maybe they're bullet points in your mind, how we create not resolutions but successful goals for 2024.
Angela Moore:
Yeah. Well, you mentioned SMART. Of course, you want your goals to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound or time based. That's a very popular phrase, a very easy way of remembering that.
Give yourself some grace along the way. Understanding that, even though you have the intention, and you've made the decision, and you've even made the commitment to do something, that sometimes you're going to fall short. Sometimes, you're going to want to make the right decision and want to do the right thing, and your situation may not allow it.
I will also say understand when you need help and support. So anytime something's too heavy, or too complicated or difficult, that's why people are around you. There are people with knowledge and expertise that can share with you information. Some people have gone through the journey and been successful in it. Those people that have done something successfully that you want to achieve, reach out to them. Ask them, "How did you do that? Can you help and support me along the way?"
And then, I will say something I always say is what you do determines you. Everything that you do each and every day is going to determine your tomorrow. If you remember that, when you're making a decision, when you decide to do this over that, whatever you decide, it's going to ultimately determine your tomorrow. If you want a better tomorrow, you're going to have to start making the best decisions today.
Chuck Gaidica:
Great stuff. Angela, it's good to see you. You've integrated, which makes sense because that's part of your great title. Integrative health expert, I think that should just be on a neon sign, letting us all know. Therapist, NASM master trainer, and fitness nutrition specialist, Angela Moore. Thanks for today, and as always it's great to see you. And happiest and blessed New Year.
Angela Moore:
Yes, you too, and many blessings to your family.
Chuck Gaidica:
Thanks so much. And thank you for listening to A Healthier Michigan Podcast. It's brought to you by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. If you like our show, you want to know more, you can check us out on YouTube. We've got a YouTube channel. You can also go to our website, ahealthiermichigan.org/podcast. Or you can leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can always follow us on all the social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. You can get new episodes, old episodes, take them with you. You're going to go out, and you're going to have a goal. Well, you can wear these, and you can go out for your jog or something, so you can use your smartphone or tablet and take us with you. Be sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. I'm Chuck Gaidica. Be well.
