What’s Going Around: Maintaining 2023 Health Goals

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - For many, a new year and a fresh start means making healthier choices. However, it can often be hard to stick to those throughout the rest of the year.

“January 1 everyone is wanting to join the gym, and wanting to get healthy, which I think is a great goal,” said Cindy Griessel, a Physician Assistant for Mercy. “The issue that I always find though is by the second week of January, most people have thrown caution to the wind and thrown away their goals, and then spent another year not being very healthy.”

Griessel said she recommends achievable and realistic goals for her patients.

“I want them to choose one thing in the month of January,” said Griessel. “Whether that be drinking more water, getting a certain amount of sleep, starting an exercise routine and then setting realistic goals over the months to try to accomplish.”

Griessel also said people should not overthink their diet either.

“When they come in and they asked me what is the best diet? It’s really the one that you follow,” said Griessel. “It’s calories in, calories out, there’s no magic, we’re not holding the magic key.”

Griessel also said getting active may not be as complex as you think.

“I want them to do more than what they are currently doing,” said Griessel. “For instance, if they are relatively sedentary in their job, they’ve not really done much of an exercise program, I tell them if you’d like to walk, go out and plan a walk. About 30 minutes a day is a great option. Now some people don’t have 30 minutes at one time. So I say, So break it up into two 15 minute walks, or break it into three 10 minute walks, just so that you’re getting that movement going.”

Griessel also said it’s important to take care of your whole self too.

“If we’re looking at goals for the year, I think it’s important that we don’t just focus on our physical health but we focus on our mental health, that we focus on our physical health, that we focus on our spiritual health and even our social health.”

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