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Dr. Barrett Deubert frames what real healthy habits are and where to REALLY start.
Creators and Guests
What is The Real Health Podcast?
On a mission to share practical solutions to improve your wellbeing, The Real Health Podcast will equip you with evidence-based recommendations essential to achieving a healthy lifestyle. Join Dr. Barrett Deubert as he shares his passion for educating, inspiring, and empowering individuals to achieve “real health for real people”. Breaking down health topics such as: immunity, stress, real food, natural living, and much more to provide you with actionable steps to improving your family’s health.
Welcome back to another episode of the Real Health Podcast. Our aim is to add as much value as we can in a short, condensed period of time. Listen, I know there's podcasts out there that are an hour, two hours long health content, and they're great. But we try to do it in under twenty minutes. We give you the nuts and bolts of what it takes to actually start moving the needle in your healthcare journey.
Dr. Barrett:We're gonna talk about how to set health goals that actually work in the new year. And when you think about health goals, most people set health goals in January, but research shows that ninety two percent of them quit in February. So what if the problem though isn't you and it's the way you're setting your goals? Tonight we're gonna help you frame your goals properly. We're gonna show you exactly how to set your health goals that actually rewire your brain, shift your biology, and increase your success rate based on what research shows.
Dr. Barrett:We all have goals that died somewhere around week three. You have a great idea, we have a plan, and then week three they just go to the grave. By the end of today's episode you'll know exactly the science based strategy that we teach patients in our clinic every day. The same system that top performers use to create sustained change. This is going to be around health but you can apply these principles to any area of your growth plan.
Dr. Barrett:So why do goals matter? There's three research points I want to establish first. Goals change brain chemistry. When you set a clearly defined goal, brain releases dopamine. And it's not just when you achieve it, it's when you start making progress towards it.
Dr. Barrett:It's like these tiny wins matter because they trigger the motivation cycle. You need to have wins in your life. Not the big win. These tiny wins, they stack over time. Research insight number two, people who write goals down are 42% more likely to achieve them.
Dr. Barrett:You have to write them down. Writing creates neural encoding. It's like encoding script within your brain and there's more buy in and there's more clarity. Research insight number three, identity based goals outperform outcome based goals. So identity based goals outperform outcome based goals.
Dr. Barrett:What does this mean? It's research from behavioral psychology shows I wanna run a marathon outcome is weaker than I am a disciplined runner, identity. Identity is stronger than outcome. Identity goals engage a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex and create durable habits. So here's the reality.
Dr. Barrett:Your health changes when your identity changes. Let me say that again. Your health changes when your identity changes. The goal isn't to lose 20 pounds. That is a weak goal.
Dr. Barrett:It's to become the kind of person who acts like they're healthy. When your identity is I'm healthy, you're going to lose 20 pounds. But when your goal is just in a number, you're going to gain and you're going to lose like a yo yo. So the real reason most health goals fail. Number one, the goals are too big, too vague and disconnected from like reality.
Dr. Barrett:The example is hey, my goal is to get healthy. Right? So that's meaningless at an actual behavioral level. It's too vague. Problem number two, goals lack emotional resonance, right?
Dr. Barrett:So you have to have a deeper rooted why. Research from self determination theory, intrinsic motivation is greater than extrinsic. So it's gotta be rooted deep in the soul. I wanna look good, isn't gonna last? Like I wanna look good in front of mirror, isn't good enough?
Dr. Barrett:But I wanna be alive to watch my kids graduate, like that's a goal that you can emotionally tie into. And number three, there's no feedback loop. The brain, it needs reward. The brain needs reward dopamine. It needs reward and correction.
Dr. Barrett:Weekly check ins are critical to accomplishing your goals. The more you on your goals, the more likely you are to accomplish them. If your goal doesn't change your calendar, it won't change your life. So let's get into the four step goal setting system that actually works. This is what I use in my life to create lasting change.
Dr. Barrett:So we're gonna get into this first step. So step one, define the identity first. Who do you wanna become in 2025? Who what what is Just pause and reflect on who do you want to become in 2025. So examples would be I'm a person who fuels my body with real food.
Dr. Barrett:That's identity. I'm a person who's fueling my body with real food. I'm an athlete who trains consistently. Most of the time it would feel weird if you call yourself an athlete. We call our patients athletes all the time because we want their identity to be rooted as an athlete because we are all athletes.
Dr. Barrett:And when I recall some of our patients athletes they laugh. I'm not an athlete. You are an athlete. If you're putting in work training, you're an athlete. Here's another identity example.
Dr. Barrett:I am the kind of person who prioritizes. I prioritize my sleep. That's identity based conversation and statement. And the reason why this works is because identity shapes behavior. Way stronger than willpower.
Dr. Barrett:So we have to start adopting a new identity of who we are and framing that out and start speaking that out of this is who I am will help you accomplish your goals, okay? So I just wanna, here's an action step in the step one. Here's your action step. I wanna invite you to pause and say it out loud, who do you want to become in 2025? Step two.
Dr. Barrett:I want you to choose two to three keystone health habits. Okay? Keystone or foundational health habits are these are like pillars that you can build health on. Let's give you some examples. So these are keystone health habits.
Dr. Barrett:Okay. You're going to choose two to three of them. Sleep. That's a keystone health habit. It improves everything.
Dr. Barrett:If you're not sleeping, you're not healing. Strength training. People who are stronger live longer. So keystone health habit, I strength train three times a week. Another keystone health habit.
Dr. Barrett:I'm a protein forward eater. So you're prioritizing protein. Another keystone health habit. I get 10,000 steps a day. Another keystone health habit.
Dr. Barrett:Intermittent fasting. It's just your nutrition plan. Intermittent fasting windows, okay? And habits that provide immediate feedback have a higher adherence. So which one's gonna provide immediate feedback for you, right?
Dr. Barrett:Pick one that will make the biggest difference if you nail it in ninety days. So for some it may be, hey, get a minimum of what's your non negotiable? I get a minimum of seven hours of sleep every night, Okay? Maybe your sleep's disrupted. So how do we frame that even better?
Dr. Barrett:I am in bed no later. This is this this was my standard this year. I'm in bed no later than the 09:00 hour. So it could be it could be it could be 09:01 or it could be 09:59, but there has to be a nine as the first digit that I'm in bed. And I'm up in the 04:00 hour.
Dr. Barrett:It could be 04:05 or it could be four fifty eight but I'm up in the four hour. Those were my non negotiables this year. So that guarantees me at least seven hours of sleep every night in bed. So what health habit, keystone health habit will move the needle quickest in ninety days? I eat real food every day.
Dr. Barrett:That means you eat nothing that is man made. Okay? That can move the needle for you. I get 10,000 steps every day. That could be a significant health change for you.
Dr. Barrett:I don't eat until two p. M. Every day or 12:00 every day. Right, that could be a significant health habit for you. Number three, step three in the four step goal setting process.
Dr. Barrett:Step three, turn the goal into a system. Turn your goal now into a system. So systems reduce the cognitive load. You ever feel like just fatigue decision, decision fatigue, right? Okay.
Dr. Barrett:Systems reduce cognitive load. You're more compliant and you have greater adherence long term. So a goal says like I want to lose 15 pounds but a system says, okay, right, I am a healthy person. I am a healthy person. Goal.
Dr. Barrett:I want to lose 50 pounds. No. Here's your system. I strength train Monday, Wednesday, Friday at six a. M.
Dr. Barrett:Prep all lunches on Sundays and I stop eating at seven p. M. I eat three meals per day. That's your system. I eat three meals per day.
Dr. Barrett:I stop eating at 07:00. I meal prep on Sundays and I strength train three days a week at six a. M. You've now created a system that if you adhere to, you're to lose 15 pounds. The tip is this, make it environment based.
Dr. Barrett:Lay out your gym clothes. I lay out my stuff the night before. So I just took on rucking. My business partner Dusty, he said, hey man, you wanna do this ruck race? I said, well what is it?
Dr. Barrett:He goes, it's a twelve hour as many miles as you can. I was like, no. I don't really wanna do it, but I'll do it with you. So I was like, alright, let's sign up for this thing. So what are my non negotiables?
Dr. Barrett:My non negotiables is that I ruck Monday mornings at five a. M. I ruck Mondays. I ruck Wednesdays. I ruck and then a long ruck on Saturdays.
Dr. Barrett:Okay? So that's my non negotiable. I have to do at least an hour, so five a. To six a. M.
Dr. Barrett:Monday, Wednesdays, and then a long one at least ninety minutes or more on Saturday, okay? So the night before, I lay out my headlamp, I lay out my ear pods. I lay out my gloves, my warm like everything's laid out. So I wake up and I get right into it, right? It helps me become compliant.
Dr. Barrett:So lay it out, right? Make it easy on yourself. Maybe you're terrible with nutrition or you don't prioritize protein. Right? Keep your protein shakes, like keep the container of protein out on the counter.
Dr. Barrett:Okay? You don't rise to the level of your goals. You will always fall back to the level of your systems. And so your systems are what I like to call your non negotiables. These systems will like worst case scenario when all hell is breaking loose in your life, you'll fall back to your level of training or your systems.
Dr. Barrett:All right. Now step four in the four step goal setting process, install a weekly accountability check. Now this may be a human, right, or maybe some other form of accountability. But here's a simple three question check-in. This can be a journal entry at the end of the week.
Dr. Barrett:Number one, what went well this week? Number two, where did I fall short? Number three, what's one adjustment for next week? You're not you're not striving for perfection. You're striving for improvement.
Dr. Barrett:Right? Great book's called atomic habits. I'd encourage all listeners to read it if you haven't. But a three question check-in. What went well this week?
Dr. Barrett:Where did I fall short? What's one adjustment for next week? Self monitoring increases goal achievement by up to 95%. Again, we're talking about systems here. Non emotional systems.
Dr. Barrett:The system sets you up for success. You're going to fail. Make a correction. Improve the system. What are the common pitfalls and how do we avoid them?
Dr. Barrett:Alright. Here's some rapid fire high value section here. Okay? First, don't chase 10 goals. Pick one to three max, okay?
Dr. Barrett:So you're not trying to do 10 different things. Pick one at minimum, three at max that you're compliant and consistent with, okay? Number two, don't rely on motivation. Build systems. There are days where you will not I didn't wanna go ruck this morning.
Dr. Barrett:When everything was laid out, my alarm was set, I accomplished the task. Don't wait for perfect circumstances. Alright? Don't wait for like x day in January to start doing whatever goal you're doing. Start now.
Dr. Barrett:Don't avoid hard feedback. Track it. Track something. Sleep, steps, macros, whatever it is. Your health goals don't need to be sexy.
Dr. Barrett:They just need to be sustainable. Okay? The framework here for like a ninety day transformation, and this is incredible. Okay? So just hear this.
Dr. Barrett:So much value here. Ninety day transformation framework. Set the identity, pick one habit, follow a twelve week block, reassess, repeat. Ninety days is plenty time to rewire the brain and establish a new pattern. K?
Dr. Barrett:So set the identity, pick a habit, follow a twelve week block, reassess, repeat. Now we've developed a nonnegotiable. Right? You strength train three times a week. I'm I'm a I am strong.
Dr. Barrett:I am a strong person. You strength train three times a week, 6AM, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. It's what you've done. No matter what, you've done it three times a week. The system's established.
Dr. Barrett:Ninety days. You're just it's like it's on autopilot. What's next? Alright. Maybe it's nutrition.
Dr. Barrett:Maybe it's sleep. Maybe it's hydration. Right? Maybe it's it's it's getting adjusted. Right?
Dr. Barrett:Maybe it's starting under chiropractic or whatever it is. Set the next goal. K? I'd rather you crush one goal than moderately adhere to five. So tonight, write down your identity statement.
Dr. Barrett:And one keystone habit that you're gonna start January 1, put it somewhere, and you'll see it every day. Okay? Consistency beats intensity. Small wins create big transformations. Let's start getting some wins, guys.
Dr. Barrett:Alright. We're so excited in the new year. Just keep it on your radar. But in January, we're gonna be hosting another workshop at the Real Health Co West where we're gonna be talking about fasting and dieting, fasting and dieting, how to do it well and how to succeed. Make sure you look at our Instagram to learn more.
Dr. Barrett:Hey, this episode's been valuable for you. It would bless us that you share it with the people, friends and family around. Thanks for listening to another episode of the Real Health Podcast. Our passion is to add value to your healthcare journey. Anything that we do, we want to do it within a community to help as many people as possible.
Dr. Barrett:Thanks for listening to episodes of the Real Health Podcast. If you could like, if you could subscribe and you can share, it would help our mission to reach as many people with real health that produces real results for real people.