More than a Leap of Faith

Now that you’re committed to improving your heart health, it’s important to find ways to stick to your goals.

Achieving and maintaining heart health requires more than just a leap of faith. Sometimes, it takes work. You’re already taking the first step by reading this email, but what comes next?

Understanding cardiovascular health is essential for improving and maintaining a healthy heart. That includes the overall well-being of your heart and blood vessels, including their ability to function properly and efficiently.

However, just knowing how the heart works isn’t enough – you also have to actively take steps to improve your health. And that starts with setting goals.

When setting goals, it’s important to use the SMART method, an acrostic that stands for:

• Specific: Your goal should be clearly defined. 
• Measurable: There should be a way to track the progress of your goal.
• Attainable: Your goal needs to be realistic. 
• Relevant:  Your goal should be meaningful to you. 
• Time-bound:  Your goal should have a deadline.

For example, instead of simply saying, “I want to be healthier,” try setting goals like, “I will exercise for at least 30 minutes, three times per week” or “I will reduce my daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams.” By setting concrete goals, you can track your progress, stay motivated and gradually increase your goals over time.

And if you’ve already slipped on your goals this year, try starting again on February 10 – the Lunar New Year. 2024 is the year of the dragon, which represents good luck, strength and health.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 1 in 5 deaths among Americans in 2021 was attributed to heart disease. However, the journey to a stronger heart is often easier when you’re not going at it alone.

Consider finding an accountability buddy so you can keep each other motivated. Or, ask a friend to subscribe to Leap into Heart Health and work through the daily tips with you, too. The American Society of Training and Development finds chances of success increase to 95% when people continually check in with an accountability partner.

Not sure where to start or which goal is most important to focus on? Seek guidance from your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian who can help you develop strategies to help keep you on track.

Don’t let stress stop you in your tracks. Next time, we’ll teach you how to skip right past it with our favorite stress management tips.