The Easy (Really) Way to Rock Your Health Goals

It’s time to embrace easy! Easy is the path to meeting those health goals you’ve been struggling with.

Yes, I really do mean that. Over the years, clients have told me they have to ride themselves hard and make big sweeping changes. Otherwise, they say, they just won’t move along in the right direction. I totally disagree. And fortunately, I’ve been able to convince a lot of clients – even if it was sometimes a big struggle.

3 questions to help you find your gateway health goal

My most successful clients learned what I’ve known for a long time. Willpower is a fickle friend who will dump you when the going gets tough. But success breeds more success. The key then to permanent healthy habits is to build momentum and motivation by experiencing success. Relying on willpower will likely eventually leave you disappointed and send you right back where you started from. Maybe that’s eating greasy takeout for lunch or hitting the snooze button instead of lacing up your running shoes.

And don’t call yourself lazy. That’s just mean and untrue. So, if it isn’t lazy, find out what it is.


If you want more about motivation, willpower and strategies for success, check out the video course Stick With It

Success with your health goals is its own type of motivator

If you make your health goals super easy, you can feel successful pretty quickly. And that leads to more success. Really it does. If you want to get into the lunch-packing habit, maybe you can start by collecting several packaged foods that are better for you than takeout. Think packaged nuts, dried fruit, cottage cheese, yogurt, tuna in a pouch, microwavable soup … that kind of thing. It’s the gateway to a scratch lunch – if that’s your ultimate goal. If your goal is to run a 5k, start with running around the block or even to the mailbox.

TRX straps for exercise

I got into the regular exercise habit by using these TRX straps for a few minutes after breakfast. Every. Single. Day.

Pick your easy, gateway goal

Ask yourself the following three questions to see if you’re on the right track to realizing your health goals. Your easy goal is your gateway goal or starter goal.

  • Will I likely be successful with this easy goal?
  • Can this easy goal likely lead me to something bigger?
  • Does the something bigger have meaning to me?

This is a good place to bring up habits. Habits is really the subject of this discussion. I’m asking you to meet your big health goals by developing the good habits that will take you there. If you’re not familiar with the Habit Loop as described by Charles Duhigg, check out 5 Steps to Build Healthy Habits.

Piggyback that easy goal

If you answered yes to all three questions above, you’re on the right track. Next plan your easy goal attack. Ask yourself this:

  • What am I already doing that I can piggyback my new habit onto?

One of my health goals this year is to regain some flexibility in my hamstrings. My easy goal is to stretch my legs for at least 30 seconds every day. I’m rocking that goal, by the way.

  • I was pretty sure I could do this.
  • I am pretty sure that stretching for 30 seconds is a reasonable way to eventually lead to longer stretching sessions. It’s a gateway strategy to bigger and better things.
  • And I am confident that stretching my legs regularly and long enough will improve my flexibility (my overall health goal).

I piggybacked my easy stretching goal onto something I do everyday. I reheat coffee and tea in the microwave everyday. My easy goal: stretch for the 30 seconds that my cup is in the microwave. Easy peasy! And success brought me more success. I now stretch my legs multiple times a day, and sometimes I do it for a lot longer than 30 seconds.

  • I picked an easy gateway goal (behavior or routine) that would lead me to a bigger goal (stretching for more than 30 seconds a day) and that would eventually improve my flexibility. And I linked it onto an existing routine (cue) and gave myself a pat on the back each time I did it (reward). Lots of people forget about (or choose to ignore) the praise/reward part. But it’s awfully important. It’s a critical part of the Habit Loop. 

Another example of creating a gateway goal for your bigger health goals

Let’s say your bigger health goal is to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less highly processed foods and desserts. Start with something easy. As an example, let’s say that you’ll begin with eating more vegetables. Your easy goal might be to eat vegetables with every lunch and every dinner. But only if that really is doable for you.

Maybe you’ll write out your gateway goals this way:

  • Whenever I pack my lunch, if I don’t have another vegetable, I’ll toss in either a can of vegetable juice or a few raw carrots.
  • When I sit down to dinner, if I don’t have another vegetable, I’ll grab a bowl of packaged salad from the refrigerator.

For many more easy ways to add vegetables, take a look at Easy Ways to Eat More Vegetables. There are some surprisingly simple ways to meet this valuable health goal.

7 more ways to make easy your best friend

These 7 strategies are based on Duhigg’s Habit Loop – cue, behavior/routine and reward.

  • Identify a cue or a trigger: When I reheat my coffee in the microwave. When you’re about to sit down to dinner.
  • Remove a cue or a trigger: By keeping chocolate out of sight, I’m less likely to indulge.
  • Make easy even easier: If your goal is to eat a piece of fruit everyday for a snack at work, line up 5 pieces of fruit on your desk every Monday. Choose one each day. If your goal is to cut back to 6 chocolate-covered almonds (okay that’s my goal), pre-portion your treats into little baggies, so all you have to do is grab a single serving.
  • Make easy hard to do to when breaking a bad habit: It’s easy to eat a bowl of ice cream after dinner if ice cream is in the freezer. Make this habit harder by not keeping ice cream at home. It’s definitely more work to get in the car and drive to the store, yes?.
  • Pat yourself on the back: Praise might seem a little silly, especially if your gateway goal is truly tiny (like stretching for 30 seconds), but don’t underestimate the power of telling yourself “good job!” Those feel-good neurotransmitters help to wire that new habit into your brain. And sometimes the only immediate reward we have for performing a task is our own, “you’re rocking this.”
  • Redesign your environment: This deals with your cues and so much more. I put my morning muesli away as soon as a scoop some in my bowl. Otherwise, I might grab an extra handful. If you want to eat more vegetables, keep canned and frozen varieties on hand. Eat more fruit by filling a beautiful fruit bowl each week. Serve yourself on smaller plates to trim portions. Avoid second helpings by putting extra food away immediately or by serving dinner from the kitchen rather than at the table.  Likewise encourage seconds on vegetables by serving only vegetables at the table and the other dinner items from the kitchen. Keep an extra pair of sneakers at work, so you can take a 10-minute walk after lunch. You get the idea – there are lots of ways to set up your home, office, car and other spots to make healthy goals easier to accomplish.
  • Hang out with people who have similar habits and values: Peer support and peer pressure are both pretty powerful motivators.

I’m sure you have additional ideas for success. Please share them. And learn more about habits by reading the works of experts James Clear and BJ Fogg.

Cheers to making easy the path to great! Please tell us your easy goal.

If you have trouble staying consistent with your healthy eating and exercise goals, check out the video course Stick With It: Build Motivation & Willpower for Healthy Habits & Get the Results You Want.

Jill-Weisenberger_about-image-2
Jill Weisenberger

I'm Jill, and I believe simple changes in your mindset and health habits can bring life-changing rewards. And I don't believe in willpower. It's waaaay overrated. As a food-loving registered dietitian nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist and certified health and wellness coach, I've helped thousands of people solve their food and nutrition problems. If you're looking for a better way to master this whole healthy eating/healthy living thing or if you're trying to prevent or manage diabetes or heart problems, you'll find plenty of resources right here.

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4 Comments

  1. Johnnie Mae turner on September 13, 2020 at 9:58 pm

    I am ready for a life style change of eating the right portion size for each meal and the right snacks and exercise for a healthy body I am 68 years old I just need a menu plan for breakfast, lunch, & dinner I can switch them up I just need to know what to pick up in the grocery store I have type 2 but my sugar level be up all the time I take a thousand mg of metforum a day I need help

    • Jill Weisenberger on September 15, 2020 at 11:20 am

      Awesome to hear where your mindset is! You’re ready! I think the Plate Method of meal planning is easiest and quite suitable for someone like you. I wish I had an article on it, but I don’t. I’ll get something up in the next few weeks. Thanks for the encouragement. In the meantime, you can get info here: Diabetes Forecast has some good info. If you’d prefer an expert help you create menus, I’d suggest working with a registered dietitian nutritionist. And check back soon because I’ll get something up about the Plate Method.

  2. Cindy on January 20, 2022 at 11:42 am

    I just came across your blog through the My Fitness Pal app and find your take on things very refreshing. Having been diagnosed as pre-diabetic I’m interested in your book on the subject. Before I purchase it, I have two questions. 1) does it address how to lose weight and 2) is there any information for following a pre-diabetes diet when you have to eat gluten free?
    Thank you,
    Cindy

    • Jill Weisenberger on January 20, 2022 at 11:57 am

      Well hello! Welcome. I’m glad you’re here and thank you for your kind words. Yes, there is a chapter (and more) that covers weight loss in Prediabetes: A Complete Guide. Many readers have reported losing weight. Some left comments in Amazon reviews. I also have tons of free info on my blog. You might start with this one about reversing prediabetes and then this one on diet choices. I have nothing specific about eating gluten-free, but I’m sure you already know the foods to avoid. The only I push that you could not have is barley. I hope you’ll sign up for my emails. Soon I’m opening up my course called Prediabetes Turnaround. And I’ll even be having a free webinar training about reversing prediabetes. You’ll get al the details in my emails.

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Welcome to my Blog

Hi there! I'm Jill, a nutrition & diabetes expert and the author of 4 books.

Jill Weisenberger

I believe simple changes in health habits can bring you life-changing rewards.

And I believe willpower is way overrated.

Right here is where you can discover the mindset and habits to stick with healthy lifestyle choices most of the time - and drop the guilt when you don't.

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