It’s no secret that the most popular New Year’s resolution is to lead a healthier lifestyle. It’s also no secret that keeping a resolution can be really, really difficult. Sure, it’s easy to eat healthier and exercise more at first, but then stuff starts to get in the way. Before you know it, skipping one trip to the gym turns into skipping a whole week, and eventually, it can feel impossible to ever get your mojo back. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your resolution, you’re not alone. Luckily, there are plenty of simple ways to meet your goals all year long!
1. Use an app to keep yourself on track
There’s a multitude of apps on the market that are focused on fitness and healthy eating! If you’re having trouble finding the time to get out to the gym, try an app that coaches you with workouts you can do from home. A good example of this would be Streaks Workout. It lets you choose your favorite exercises and creates a custom workout based on the amount of time you have to spare. There are also tons of apps that you can use to track your meals and get an idea of what’s healthy and what you should avoid. I use MyFitnessPal to track my meals and connect with my family and friends who are also trying to stay healthy. You can also use apps to set reminders to workout, which can be super helpful if you’re a forgetful or busy person like I am. Hit up your app store!
2. Team up with a friend
The only thing harder than making healthy choices is making those choices alone. If you have a friend who will go with you to the gym, you’ll have a much better time while you’re suffering through cardio! Sometimes all you need to make a healthier choice is a little encouragement. If you’ve been down the healthy path before, you know that it can be discouraging when you’re the only one of your friends ordering the salad when everyone else is getting burgers. Try to get your friends on the healthy train, but don’t feel bad if they don’t. There’s nothing wrong with being the health-conscious friend – maybe you’ll even set an example that will inspire your friends to follow in your footsteps!
3. Utilize positive reinforcement
…or, as the great Donna Meagle once said, “treat yo self.” When you make it to the gym three times a week, do something nice for yourself! Buy that super cute agenda that you’ve been eyeing, or those shoes that are a little overpriced but totally worth it. Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be a bland or unenjoyable experience — make it fun! My favorite way to celebrate meeting a fitness goal is to purchase cute workout gear. Owning colorful leggings isn’t the secret to getting to the gym, but it definitely helps! You’ll find yourself in a happier and more motivated place if you treat yourself as nicely as you would want others to.
4. Use sticky note reminders
If you’re having trouble feeling motivated to keep up your healthy choices, leave some sticky notes in places that you can’t possibly miss them. Put one on the fridge with a suggestion to choose a healthy snack, or put one on your mirror with an encouragement to hit the gym. I do this myself, and I think it’s a really easy and fun way to remind yourself of your goals. Sure, you could always set up notifications on your phone and listen for the buzz, but there’s something a little bit more exciting about having sticky notes all over the place (maybe that’s just me). Whatever type of reminders you use, just make sure they have positive messages! You are your own best motivator!
5. Don’t be too hard on yourself
Above everything else, cut yourself some slack. If you miss out on the gym because you had a busy week, it’s not the end of the world. Don’t give up on your resolution completely just because you had a bad day or week. I’ve made this mistake many times in the past, and I don’t plan on doing it this year. Your resolution is not invalid because you cheated on it once. The important thing is that you have the drive to get back on track and keep going!
Being healthy isn’t all about huge lifestyle changes and radical diets (although if that’s your method, more power to you!) Making small, conscious choices like having a healthy snack or walking around the block on a nice morning go a long way towards being a healthier person. I hope your 2017 is the best year yet, and I hope these tips will help you in keeping your resolution!