So here it is.

Another January.   Maybe you made good on your “get healthier” resolutions last year and you have new ones…or maybe you’re recycling them for this year.  If the latter is true for you, take heart—You’re certainly not alone!  Even more importantly, it’s never too late to hit the “reset” button when it comes to making YOU a priority, no matter what month it is.

The art of the action plan

If you resolve to make 2024 the year that you become the strong, confident, sparkling version of yourself that you envision, whether it’s dropping a few pounds, stressing out less, gaining more energy, or something different, you probably have a loose idea about how you want to achieve this.  But have you really thought it through?  Creating an action plan helps to break it all down to the details, putting them to work on a daily and weekly basis to achieve small habit changes.  These daily tweaks quickly add up to success.  Clear goals along with an action plan will help you figure out the why and how of what you hope to do—two key motivators that will help you stick it out till the end.

Say you want to exercise more in order to fit into your clothes better.  Exactly when and where will you do it?   If your schedule goes awry, what’s your contingency plan?  An action plan helps you iron out these pesky details and get right back on track should you fall off the wagon.

Get specific with your goals.

Get started by choosing a long-term goal.  Really think about this.

Visualize yourself six months from now, having achieved this goal.  What does this different “you” look like?  How does this person feel?  Now think about why you want to become this person.  The real, deep-down why.  Not the “I want to fit into my clothes” why–Think about the real ways you think this change will improve your life.  Do you want increased energy and longevity?  Would you love to get off your medications?  Now grab a piece of paper and write this down.  Be as specific as possible.

Next, with your long-term goal in mind, think of 1-3 shorter-term goals that will help you reach that larger aspiration.  Maybe you would like to choose one nutrition goal and one physical activity goal.  For example, you choose to decrease your sugar intake, and you also choose to exercise consistently.  Write your goal(s) underneath your larger one.

Plan it out.

Here’s where the action plan comes in.  How specifically will you attain your 6-week goal? Pick something to work on for one week–the upcoming week (start a new workout regimen, start a food diary, etc.).

Looking at your calendar, decide:

1. What exactly you want to do.  For example, if you want to exercise, will you attend a spinning class, start using weights, or a combination of both
2. What days during the upcoming week you will work on this.
3. How long each day (for example, 30 minutes) OR What distance (around the block) OR How much (1 portion)
4. What time or time of day (for example, 7 am, morning, evening, etc.)

Remember to write all of this down!

Now, get to work.

Now that you have your plan written down and ready to go, stick to it the best you can.  And if life happens to mess up your plan (which is most certainly will!), ask yourself:

1. What barriers do I foresee getting in my way, and what is my backup plan? Go to this contingency plan if needed.  (For example, if you expect a lot of upcoming travel but want to start snacking healthier, keep a bag of almonds in your bag.)  It’s okay to realize you need to change things up on the fly to better fit your life!
2. How will I reward myself if I am successful this week? Maybe the feeling of accomplishment will be enough, but if you feel you’ll need extra incentive, go ahead and think of a simple, non-food reward.  Maybe you’ll give yourself guilt-free permission to binge-watch a couple of episodes of your favorite TV show, or you’ll buy a new workout shirt.

Don’t quit.

If you only accomplished some of your weekly action plan–or none at all–don’t beat yourself up.  The fact that you’re beginning to make efforts to positively change your life is enough, as long as you keep trying.  Each week, refresh your action plan, adding new challenges and activities as needed to get you through to your 6-week goal.  As the weeks add up, you’ll create new habits and build confidence in your accomplishments.  And if you aren’t successful every single day, just remember this:  Week by week, small changes will grow into the beginning of real transformation.  Tomorrow always brings a new day and a fresh, new chance.

Finally, set yourself up for success.

Whatever you choose to accomplish each week, it should be:

–Something you really want to do.  Don’t do it to get your nagging spouse off your back or only because you think you should.

–Something that is realistic to achieve within the next week.  Again, baby steps!  For instance, exercising for an hour every single day of the week may difficult to follow through on if you’re new to exercise.

–Something that’s a specific action.  Losing weight is not a specific action, but the result of an action.  Think about the “how”.

Action planning is a life-long, valuable tool to help you reach goals you create for any aspect of your life, and you can use it to purposefully plan out your weeks for as long as you want.  If your goals are clear and your plan is solid, you’re well on your way to lifelong progress.  May this year be yours to the absolute fullest!

Try this downloadable, printable tracking sheet.

Tracking your activities daily can help you record your success—and figure out where you need to improve and make adjustments.  I’ve included my Fresh Start 6-week Exercise and Nutrition Tracking Sheet here for your use!  Each day that you ate well and exercised, place a check mark in the appropriate space.  You can even jot down what kind of workout you did under “exercise” to keep track of your workout schedule.

Click here to print