It’s the time of year when everyone makes New Year’s resolutions and it’s inevitable that at least one resolution has something to do with fitness or diet. Completely changing your lifestyle can be daunting and for most people a little unrealistic, so it may be beneficial to start with something small. For example, you might want to just start exercising 2x a week; try to eat vegetables every day, or walk 10,000 steps a day – the point is take one thing and incorporate it into your life instead of trying to change everything at once.
Below are 5 Steps you can take and that we hope will help you get a little healthier this year.
- Step 1 – Make a list of healthy things that you want to add to your life.
- Step 2 – Narrow down the list to three things that you think you could implement more easily. Although running 5 miles every day may be a good long-term goal, it may be unrealistic to start with that task. How about 1 mile 3x a week?
- Step 3 – Choose one item from your narrowed-down list and make it a priority. If it is a daily task, such as exercising; set an alarm on your phone or make a note on your calendar to remind you to complete it every day.
- Step 4 – Tell your family and friends about the healthy change you want to make. Encourage your family and friends to help you and hold you accountable if you start to slack off.
- Step 5 – Stick to one healthy addition at a time. When your new goal becomes a habit, go through your list and work on a new addition.
- Step 6 – Reward yourself for sticking to your goals and making healthy changes. If you started to exercise 3x a week for a month or eat vegetables every day – allow yourself a special treat. Rewards can help you stay on track.
Remember: if you have a bad day in your healthy lifestyle change, don’t give up. Just refocus and continue again the next day.