It's Good Business to Invest In Yourself!

Culpeper Star Exponent

Business Monday

December 31, 2012

Jim Charapich

Invest in yourself this year. The best deal in Town is at your finger tips. The health care issue is coming at us like a freight train.  The messages that are encouraging food, health, and life choices are overwhelming. The messages vary from indulgence to weight loss.The bottom line is that it is no longer acceptable to be passive about your health.

With many of the decisions that we face, top on the list are often financial ones. I suspect that the health care industry is moving towards rewarding individuals for healthy choices while holding the same responsible for poor decisions. The transition in the health care industry seems confusing and yet there are a few things that appear universal.

First, our choices often determine outcomes. Proverbially, if we do the same thing and expect different results, our expectations will likely be disappointing. Make a decision to find solutions to the challenges that you face and gather the proper research from professionals in your life… Doctors, Health Professionals, Fitness Trainers, and others related to your health goals. We live in the greatest time ever to research solutions to our health goals.

Second, with your research in hand, set goals. Goal acronyms can help, such as S.M.A.R.T. - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Framed. It is important to do your research and use the research to set SMART goals. Goals are more about the journey than the end result. Having the goal in sight is important and exciting to achieve, however, the day to day small victories are especially motivating. Consider using smart phone apps for measuring and tracking your progress.

There are many options for basic fitness measurements such as calorie counting apps. Some of these apps also allow for calorie burn inputs for exercise. This is like having extra credit to work with in achieving your goals. Exercise can be fun when you know that you are getting extra credit for calories by tracking your exercise.

Finally, if your research allows, consider adding an element of competition to the fitness fun. There are many options here. One of the best local opportunities to compete with “yourself” is the Drop It program offered by the Culpeper Regional Health System. The Program will kick off in late January and offers an abundance of guidance in helping choose healthy lifestyles. Also, consider joining a fitness class to join others in fitness fun and accountability.

If you like competing with others, then consider signing up for a race. Again, using your research, choose a race like a 5K to begin with or something else that is consistent with your research goals. Careful here, signing up for a 5K can be a gateway, once achieved it can lead to a greater hunger. A hunger for a 10K, a Triathlon, a Century, a Marathon, or an Ironman… Today is a great day to sign up for the best race deals since most race prices go up after January 1st. Check out options at SetUpEvents.com, Active.com, or RegAthlete.com to name a few.