It’s the beginning of 2017, and like the majority of the population, you have probably adopted a resolution to be healthier. The start of a new year usually signifies a chance to start over, and many people use it as an opportunity to start eating better, exercising, or living healthy lifestyles. We all know that sticking to these types of resolutions can be tricky, so here are some ways to maintain them and be sure that your healthy habits won’t fade away.
1. Pace yourself.
When beginning a new healthy lifestyle, take it one step at a time. It takes time to develop these habits and you don’t have to go all-or-nothing. You can start by exercising 1-2 times a week, then increase it to 3-4 times when you feel comfortable. Progress does not happen overnight, so start small and advance at your own speed.
2. Stay optimistic.
It is extremely important to stay positive when trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle. If you think of exercising or eating healthy as a chore, it will make it so much harder for you to want to continue on this journey. Instead, think about how good this healthier lifestyle will make you feel, and think of all of the ways it will benefit you. That way, you will WANT to improve instead of seeing it as something you are forced to do.
3. Don’t compare yourself.
It can be easy to look at others and where they are in their health journey and compare it to your own progress. Doing this may make you believe that you are not good enough, think that you have to be at a certain level of fitness, or feel that you have such a long way to go. In reality, none of these things are true. You need to move at your own pace and do what feels right for you – do not worry about what anyone else is doing!
4. Don’t give up.
Developing any sort of resolution or habit that you are not used to can be difficult. It is easy to want to give up and go back to your old lifestyle, but why stop and reverse all the progress you have made? Set goals for yourself and strive for them. Keep a positive mindset when working toward implementing your healthy resolutions. Think of how much you have accomplished and realize how capable you are of becoming healthier and doing anything you set your mind to.