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If you’re anything like me, you’ve set some goals for yourself in the new year. Maybe it’s time to start eating better, or maybe you want to exercise more often. Whatever your goal is, it can be hard to stick with it! That’s why I’ve come up with some tips that will help you achieve your goals without feeling overwhelmed.
Set small, realistic goals.
The best way to stick with your health goals is by setting small, realistic ones. Here’s how:
- Make sure your goals are specific. For example, instead of saying “I want to lose weight” or “I want to get more active,” say something like “I will weigh myself once a week” or “I will work out three times per week.” This way, you’ll be able to track whether or not you’re meeting these targets and can adjust accordingly if necessary.
- Make sure they’re measurable so that if something goes wrong with one aspect of your plan (like missing workouts), then other parts won’t fall apart as well because everything was built on the same foundation (such as eating healthy meals). If there’s no way for either party involved–you or anyone else–to determine whether or not progress has been made toward reaching an objective then there’s no point in even bothering at all! It might seem like common sense but trust me when I say it isn’t always easy trying figure out exactly where things went wrong after things go south… especially when those problems aren’t always self-evident right away either.”
Use visual reminders and inspiration.
- Use a calendar to remind yourself of appointments.
- Use a journal to record your progress, or even just start by writing down your goals and keeping them somewhere visible so that they’re always top of mind.
- Create vision boards or mood boards that include pictures of things that inspire you (like healthy food!) or make you feel good about yourself, and hang them somewhere visible where they can act as daily reminders of what’s important in life!
Keep a journal of your progress and setbacks.
Keeping a journal is a great way to make sure that you’re on track with your health goals, and it can be helpful in many other ways as well. If you’re having trouble sticking to your plan, write down what went wrong and how you can improve in the future. For example:
- I didn’t eat enough vegetables today because I was too busy working on my project for class. Next time I will try planning my meals ahead of time so that I’m less rushed at dinner time!
- My first workout was really hard but felt great afterward! Now that I know how difficult this exercise feels for me, next time around might feel easier (and more rewarding).
Go for a walk every day.
The first step to sticking with your health goals for the new year is to make sure you have them firmly in place. If you don’t have a plan for what exactly you want to accomplish, it might be difficult for you to stick with it. It’s important that each goal be realistic and achievable without being too easy or too difficult; if a goal seems too hard, then chances are good that you won’t be able to stick with it!
One great way to help ensure your success is by making sure each day starts off on the right foot–literally! Walking is one of those easy-to-do activities that can improve both physical fitness levels as well as mental clarity: walking improves circulation throughout the body; helps relieve stress from work or school; provides an opportunity for exercise without requiring any equipment beyond shoes (which we all have anyway); allows us time alone while still engaging socially through interactions with other pedestrians on sidewalks or trails near our homes/workplaces; reduces risk factors associated with obesity such as high blood pressure; reduces risk factors associated with diabetes mellitus type II including poor glycemic control due largely because aerobic exercise has been shown reduce insulin resistance among individuals diagnosed…
Take care of your body, mind and spirit all at once.
In order to achieve your health goals, you need to take care of your body, mind and spirit all at once. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to achieve one thing at a time–you’ll see a lot of ads for programs that promise fast weight loss or an instant detox–but if you focus on only one aspect of self-care, it’s likely that other areas will suffer.
Take time each day for meditation or prayer; exercise regularly; eat well by eating mostly fresh fruits and vegetables (no processed foods), drinking lots of water throughout the day instead of caffeine-laden beverages like coffee or soda; get enough sleep every night so that when you wake up feeling rested is easier than if you have dark circles under your eyes from lack thereof; relax by spending time doing things that make you happy: reading books/magazines/newspapers outside every morning before work; taking long baths with candles lit around them so they smell good while bathing away stressors built up during days spent sitting at desks working 9-to-5 jobs; spending quality time with friends/family members over dinner parties where everyone gets together once per month just because there aren’t enough days left between now until next year’s holiday celebrations where everyone wants another excuse not only celebrate together but also spend quality time doing so without distractions such as televisions turned on loud enough everyone can hear what being said even though no one watches them anyway because conversations go better without distractions like those found online
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Asking for help is hard. It’s scary, and it makes you vulnerable. But you can’t do everything on your own–and that’s okay!
It’s important to remember that you’re not alone in this process, so don’t hesitate to ask for support from friends and family, professionals (like doctors or therapists), online communities and even your trainer at the gym. They may not have all of the answers, but if they understand what it means to be healthy and happy in life–and if they care about your well-being–they’ll be able to point out some helpful resources along the way
If you focus on being healthy instead of losing weight you’ll be more likely to stick with your goals
If you focus on being healthy instead of losing weight or being perfect, you’ll be more likely to stick with your goals.
- Focus on the journey, not the destination. It’s easy to think that when we reach our goal weight (or whatever else), everything will be perfect and we won’t have any problems anymore. But this isn’t true! Once we reach our goal weight/body fat percentage/whatever else we’re working toward, it’s just another step in life–not an end point where everything magically becomes easier and better than before because now we’re perfect. The same goes for other health goals: if you want to learn how to run a marathon but haven’t yet been able to do so after six months of training, don’t get discouraged by thinking “I’m never going run a marathon!” Instead think “I’ve gotten so much better at running since I started training two years ago.” You should also celebrate small successes along the way instead of waiting until everything is perfect before acknowledging them as such; celebrating each stage along the way helps keep you motivated throughout your journey!
- Focus on what can be done rather than what cannot be done yet (or ever). For example: If someone has lost 80 pounds but still wants another 20 pounds off their body before they feel comfortable calling themselves ‘healthy’, then maybe instead focusing solely on losing those last 20 pounds would lead them down a path towards frustration rather than happiness? Instead try thinking about all that progress already made – wouldn’t it feel great knowing how far along one has come thus far?!
Now that you know the key steps to sticking with your goals, you’re on your way to success! Remember that this is a journey and not an overnight fix. The most important part of keeping up with your goals is to have fun with it. If at any point during this process, you find yourself getting stressed out about something that doesn’t work out exactly how you planned or if something goes wrong (which will inevitably happen), don’t let it discourage you from continuing forward. Health is not something we’re born knowing how to achieve; it’s something we learn through trial and error until eventually following through over time becomes second nature.
