4 Tips To Navigate Your Personal Wellness Goals

Everyone has their own personal goals they'd like to reach. Whether you're trying to lose weight, build muscle, or rejuvenate your skin, there's unfortunately no magic pill to help you accomplish your feat. There are also countless wellness myths on the internet and social media that can make navigating your aspirations even more challenging. Have no fear because attaining a "healthier you" just got so much easier.

We consulted with former certified trainer, Erin Sharoni, Master of Bioethics degree candidate at Harvard Medical School and Chief Product Officer of longevity technology startup FOXO Technologies, and learned how to effectively maneuver the crowded wellness space—and accomplish your goals. Read on to discover her tips, and for more wellness inspo, check out The 5 Wellness Habits That Slow Down Aging, Science Reveals.

Reflect on what you want to accomplish.

Before you begin a new diet, workout program, or any wellness journey, it's crucial to think about the intention behind your choices. "I would just say the most important tip is just to be really self-reflective in your personal evaluation of why you want to achieve something," Sharoni says. "Try and make whatever wellness or fitness goal you're thinking about as broad and meaningful to your life as possible."

For instance, look at the big picture. Everyone wants to look their best for a special occasion. However, when thinking about this goal, Sharoni recommends reflecting on whether you only want to enhance your appearance for the event or if you'd prefer to look and feel better year-round. She says pursuing the latter goal extends to be something more meaningful and attainable since it doesn't just "go away" after the event occurs.

Find and connect with a community.

Making significant, long-term changes in your life can be quite difficult, if not a little bit scary. So, Sharoni suggests making these tweaks with other like-minded people.

"Supportive communities who are pursuing the same goals and/or have similar 'whys' to yours, can make all the difference in your success," she says. "Human connection is critical to health and longevity, so don't forget about that pillar." It will be fun and productive!

Research and fact-check your information.

In the age of social media and influencers, it's easy to be exposed to wellness misinformation. To steer clear of useless—and potentially harmful—advice, Sharoni highlights the importance of doing some thorough digging before investing yourself in a popular trend.

When it comes to research, she recommends verifying a person's credentials before taking any advice. Additionally, Sharoni suggests using science-based websites that publish peer-reviewed studies and journals to fact-check health information. However, if there are seemingly counterintuitive recommendations being made, it's best practice to scroll to the bottom of the research to check if there are "competing interests," Sharoni says.

Make sure your source is not promoting a product or trend for financial gain.

Lastly, Sharoni advises consumers to think about who could potentially be making money off of information being disseminated. This could include influencers and organizations looking to sell products such as supplements, diet books, and so on.

"Almost everyone is well-intentioned in their search, but not everyone who's giving out information is necessarily well-intentioned and/or informed," Sharoni says. "If you have someone who's not super informed, maybe their intention is to only profit for themselves. Then, you're not going to get the best information." Above all, it's important to consult your healthcare provider before doing anything that can impact your health.