New Years is that time of year where everyone wants to start fresh. I, like many others, wish to get back on track and become healthier. I’m looking forward to exercising two to three times a week and limiting my junk food consumption. I’m not particularly looking to lose weight; my goal is to simply feel better overall. Here are some of the tips I’ve used in the past that have worked in my favor, so I figured I should share them with you. While in high school, I lost 30 pounds and became much healthier by doing these few things. Hopefully these tips will also be helpful for you!
1.Set attainable goals. If your goal is extremely out of reach, you won’t be able to mentally picture yourself attaining this goal. Thus, you’ll be less motivated and more likely to abandon your New Year’s Resolution if this is the case. Also, don’t pick something that is ridiculously easy to achieve either as that just defeats the purpose.
2.Mark your progress every day. What better way to see how much you’ve achieved than by marking your progress every night? There are many online websites that allow you to keep track of your exercise level as well as your diet. It’s also much easier this way to plan out meals and stick to them as you have them physically written in front of you. There are also many apps that allow you to track mental health, which is another important aspect to staying healthy.
3.Eat foods that are tasty, yet healthy. There exists many options and billions of recipes out there that can permit you to eat nourishing foods. Don’t pick something just because it’s a buzz word when you know you won’t enjoy it. Pick foods that taste good to you and will encourage you to keep up with your resolution. I also recommend choosing foods that are filling and protein rich as they will keep your body energized and satiated for much longer than if you were to eat empty calories. I’m certain you’re tired of hearing the cliché phrase but, the key to success is a balanced diet.
4.Leave motivational notes around the house or on your phone. There’s so many ways to remind you to stay on track and leaving notes around the house is one of my favourite methods. Write adorable sticky notes and leave them on mirrors and walls. Setting reminders on your phone with their own personalized ringtone will also help you associate it to your goals.
5.Surround yourself with people who support you. There’s nothing worse than hanging around that one friend that can eat whatever they like and stay skinny (this doesn’t always mean that they’re healthy inside), while they pester you to eat junk food with them. It’s important to hang around people who will not judge you for choosing to be healthier and will support you towards achieving that mindset. Surrounding yourself with a positive environment will make every day much brighter and will keep you on track.
6.Every bit of progress counts. Don’t discourage yourself and punish yourself for having missed a day at the gym or for not being able to exercise as much as your gym partner. Stress is a major factor in motivation and you’re not looking to crush it. Try to make up for it another day, but if that’s impossible, that’s totally okay as well. Every time you get up in the morning and head on to run at least 30 minutes on the treadmill, that’s 30 minutes of running your body wouldn’t have gotten if you hadn’t chosen to become healthier. Do the best you can do.
7.Breaks are essential for your mental health. Whether it’s a cheat day or a day off from exercising, these all play key roles in maintaining your mental health. Studies show that it’s important to take breaks in order to continue a diet or exercise program in the long run. Rest also ties in with this because without proper sleep your body can’t function at its best.
8.Try new things! Life gets dull very quickly if you don’t! Try a new recipe for the first time or try a new sport! You can’t figure out if you like something or not if you haven’t tried it in the first place! It makes your health challenge all that more entertaining and fun, helping you stay motivated to continue it as the year goes on.