[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]2024 is all about progress over perfection. While prioritizing a healthier lifestyle is top of mind for the average American this year (a
recent survey found that 50% of Americans want to exercise more consistently, while 47 percent want to consume a more nutritious diet)—and to reach these goals, you’ll need to let go of perfection.
It’s time to rethink the overall approach you use to reaching your health goals. Instead of aiming for perfection, and losing motivation when you inevitably fall short (we’re all human), here's another strategy to consider: create realistic expectations for yourself.
One way to do that: match your goals to the science behind them, rather than just some arbitrary idea that came from social media or something all your friends are doing. Then, use that information to focus on progress over perfection and make steady, incremental progress as the year unfolds.
Progress Over Perfection: How to Start Applying This Mindset to Your Health Goals
Why you need to know the science behind your health goals
When your health goals are rooted in science, you’ll have a clear understanding of why those objectives are beneficial and what actions you can take to achieve them. This will give you a specific target to continually move toward, which can boost your chances of long-term success. As a study in the
PLOS One Journal found, approach-oriented goals that focus on measurable, science-backed progress are more effective than avoidance-oriented goals that enforce strict performance outcomes and foster a deprivation mentality.
For instance, let’s assume your health goal for 2024 is to complete a
half-marathon. You’ll be in a much better position to cross that finish line if you know the science behind how to maximize your training with optimal nutrition. Rather than forcing yourself to eliminate entire food groups or run seven days a week with no rest periods in between, you will have the right information to train smart and achieve the sustainable results you want.
Use science to pursue and achieve your health goals
The first step to building your progress over perfection goals is to determine what you want to achieve and then look at the science. This will tell you how to get there and it likely won’t require extreme retraction or exhaustion. In most cases, being strategic in reaching your goals doesn’t require either of those things! Work smarter, not harder. Here are a few examples of exactly how you can do that.
Goal: Complete a half-marathon
In order to efficiently train for a half-marathon (13.1 miles), you need to consume a diet rich in
macronutrients that will sustain long-distance aerobic exercise. This means eating complex carbohydrates before each training session, then refueling with a combination of proteins and carbs to stimulate recovery once the workout is finished.
Your body will convert
carbs into glucose, which boosts your cardiac output, maintains plasma volume, offsets sweat loss and increases muscle endurance
to keep you energized. Likewise, you need both
protein and carbs after a run to delay post- exercise fatigue and
repair torn muscle fibers.
Plus, you’re best served by choosing when and how long you run strategically. The science tells us you need to not only build endurance, but strength too. Your legs and lungs need to be able to carry you across the finish line.
Potential half-marathon goals:
- Plan meals on Sunday to support your body before, during and after runs, including complex carbs, protein and fat.
- Find and follow a half-marathon training plan from an authoritative source.
Goal: Increase full-body strength
Resistance training differs from aerobic exercise in that you’re building muscle mass and bone density as opposed to increasing cardiovascular fitness. As such, strength-based workouts also require different nutritional goals and priorities than endurance training.
You need
protein to boost the effectiveness of full-body resistance training because amino acids (the organic compounds in this nutrient) are responsible for creating lean muscle. Why is protein so crucial for strong muscle development?
Long-chain amino acids stimulate a biological process called
muscular protein synthesis, which remodels your skeletal tissues and activates new muscle growth. When combined with resistance training, protein synthesis can also increase muscular hypertrophy (strength and size) gains across all sexes and age brackets, according to the
Sports Medicine Journal.
In addition, you need a program specific to the results you’re looking for. Do you want to build muscle, but stay lean? Do you want to boost muscle endurance? The right plan will impact how effectively you reach that goal.
Potential strength-training goals:
- Total daily protein intake can be a great goal for strength training. Use the formula A x B = C to calculate your target protein intake. “A” is your current weight measured in kilograms. “B” is the total grams per kilogram of protein you need (1.6 for low-impact exercise, 2.5–3 for strenuous exercise). This equation will give you “C”—the ideal amount of protein you should eat.
- Work with a personal trainer or find a structured program that will get you the results you’re looking for. An app like Fitbod can help you get those personalized workouts.
Goal: Reduce chronic inflammation
There are
many compelling reasons to reduce chronic
inflammation. Doing so can also lower the risk of
allergies, cardiovascular issues, strokes,
diabetes, cancer, autoimmune illnesses or cognitive decline. You can also:
- Better manage oxidative stress to help fight infections
- Maintain a healthy weight for your body and lifestyle
- Improve joint function
- Avoid gastrointestinal problems
- Boost your mood
Chronic inflammation can occur over time if you consume a high amount of processed meats or dairy, alcohol, saturated fats, refined sugars and artificial ingredients or sweeteners. That’s not to say these foods are off-limits altogether, but if your diet lacks enough essential nutrients, you could be more susceptible to inflammatory diseases.
Rather than imposing a restrictive elimination diet on yourself, set goals more strategically. According to
Frontiers in Nutrition, the healthiest anti-inflammatory eating plans contain a balance of
low-glycemic carbs, monounsaturated fats, lean proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polyphenols and fermentable fiber.
Potential inflammation-reduction goals:
Plan to consume whole foods, low-glycemic carbohydrates, lean meats, etc. on an 80/20 split—80 percent of the time you’re eating these foods, and 20 percent of the time you enjoy foods that might fall outside of that.
Expand your grocery list to keep things fun and interesting. Check out these
delicious anti-inflammatory recipes to get started.
Harness the power of science to rethink your health goals in 2024
No matter what your health goals are this year, choose progress over perfection. The most effective way to get where you want to go is to release yourself from the unrealistic burden of perfection. Instead, use science to achieve incremental, sustainable progress. This will require both commitment and consistency—but in the end, you’ll form healthier fitness and nutrition habits that could last a lifetime.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Featured Products" border_width="2"][vc_row_inner equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" gap="35"][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="172481" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1706298118439{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/amy-myers-md-the-myers-way-paleo-protein"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="172482" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1706298135127{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/jasberry-organic-superfood-rice-gluten-free-vegan-non-gmo-original"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="172483" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1706298153265{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/kodiak-cakes-oatmeal-unleashed-cup-100-whole-grain-non-gmo"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
