Focus Pocus: 5 Areas of Focus to Reach Your Personal Health Goals

No matter what the goal may be that you have set for yourself, whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain your weight or increase energy, there are five specific aspects which need to be addressed in order to be successful: 

1. physical
2. mental
3. spiritual
4. emotional
5. social

Most of the time we try to achieve our personal nutrition or fitness goals by diet and exercise alone. These, however, are only two pieces of the puzzle and there are actually a few additional components we must put together in order to: 

a) reach our goals
b) maintain what we have achieved

So why is it that someone who eats just as their dietitian recommends and exercises just as their trainer instructs can still fall short of their personal health goals? Because there's a strong possibility that a few key factors may be missing. I'll explain:

Let’s assume this person's dietitian and personal trainer have done exceptional jobs, he/she has completed comprehensive metabolic testing and has even undergone an array of blood & urine tests. 

This ought to paint the best possible picture of a person’s health in order to design a unique, personalized wellness plan, right? For the most part yes, but there's still something significant missing.

What has not yet been calculated into this scenario is a full body care plan. What I mean is... his/her mental, spiritual, emotional and social health aren't included as the 'plan of attack.' 

Based on my experience as a dietitian I've come to realize that until all areas of someone's health needs are addressed utilizing all the pieces of our individual wellness 'puzzles,' it will be very difficult (if not impossible) to achieve any goals which have been set.

People mistakenly jump from one popular fad diet to another these days, especially because they've got names that deceive us into thinking we'll have instant gratification: 10 days to Skinny. 21 days to Health. 8 Weeks to Fit. Although these sound unbelievably feasible be sure to remember: There is truly NO magic pill, NO realistic miracle diet or ANY quick fix out there that will ultimately provide you with the results you desire. 

These things we all strive for (shedding the excess fat, maintaining our cholesterol, increasing our energy levels, etc.) won't manifest overnight, but if we each devise a full body plan and execute it thoroughly... over time we will have changed our health, our well-being and our lives overall for the better.

Here's to helping you reach YOUR individual goals, starting NOW!