As we have discussed before on this blog (and which you will no doubt know already), your health goals need to be prioritized. You must do all you can to look after it because you know the consequences if you don’t.
For this reason, you might have decided on a few health goals this year. These may be resolutions you made at the start of the new year, although there is no harm in coming up with a few health goals at other times.
But here’s the thing. Many of us set health goals for ourselves, but we often fall at the first or second hurdles. We stop exercising because the weather outside is too cold for our planned morning runs, and we stop eating healthily because we get bored with the greens that have been dominating our plates. As a result, we can often decide to give up on the goals we have set ourselves. “There’s always next year,” we tell ourselves as we settle down on our sofas with the TV remote in one hand and a bag of potato chips in the other!
So listen. Don’t give up! If you are currently struggling to stick to your health goals, here are some tips that we hope you find useful.
#1: Take small steps
It’s all about pacing yourself, as you are bound to fail if you push yourself too hard. So, don’t decide to run a mile every day, and don’t make a visit to the gym a part of your daily schedule. You will only exhaust yourself if you do, and you will be more likely to give up. The same applies to healthy eating. Instead of giving up your desserts in their entirety, perhaps cut down to one or two a week. The same applies to other bad habits in your life. Going cold turkey can be difficult for some, so if you can’t give up certain habits in an instant, try to cut down. Small steps can lead to bigger steps as you slowly adapt to the changes you are making, so don’t storm ahead with goals that might not be achievable.
#2: Buy what you need
If your goal is to be more active, it might be that your exercise gear is too restrictive for your needs. Look online for activewear and buy something that is better attuned to the needs of your body. And if your goal is to cook more healthy meals this year, make sure you have what you need in your kitchen. If you find yourself without a useful kitchen implement, you might then decide to forego the recipe you were considering and order in a takeaway instead. Not every health goal will necessitate a big spend, but consider what you’re trying to achieve, and if you need to part with your cash, don’t resent the expense. Focus on the endgame and it will make your spending easier.
#3: Don’t make life a chore
If your exercise routine has become just that – a routine – then you may be tempted to give up early on. When exercise becomes a chore, you might decide to kick it into touch and fill your time with other things that are more enjoyable to you. And the same applies to your healthy eating goals. If you get bored of eating a plate of veggies every night, you might toss them in the trash in favor of something less-than-healthy! So, here’s the thing. Within all of your health goals, try to make them enjoyable if you can. When it comes to exercise, you could take part in sports you enjoy, or keep fit with your friends when it is safe and sensible to do so. You will then add more fun to your life. And when it comes to healthy eating, you could mix up your mealtime with a wider variety of healthy dinner recipes. You can put more on your plate than a tower of asparagus! So, make healthy living fun, as you will be more likely to stick to your health goals if you do.
#4: Track your progress
If you don’t know how near you are to meeting your health goals, you might be more inclined to give up on them. Many of us need something to focus on, such as preferred weight size, but if we don’t know if our efforts to stay healthy are working or not, we can start to lose interest. So, find ways to track your progress. You could do this with the health and wellness apps on your phone, but you could also buy a wearable fitness tracker or use a bullet journal to help you stay on track.
#5: Make a note of how well you’re feeling
When you are underway with your health goals, you will start to notice some changes. You might have more energy, for example, and you might be more productive at home and at work. It might be that you are feeling less stressed too, and you might have more mental clarity. And you might notice other benefits to your wellbeing after keeping fit and eating well. Make a note of these as you can refer to them later. These might help you to stay motivated, as the alternative would be a mind and body state that isn’t as healthy as it might be in the present.
#6: Remember the why
Sure, you can give up if you want to. But if you do, you will never get to your desired weight. You will never wean yourself off junk food. And you will never give up smoking. These are just some of the health goals you might set for yourself, and there could be others. So, remember why you made these goals in the first place, and try not to let yourself get distracted. Yes, it might take willpower on your part, but if you can enlist your friends and family members to help you, it might be that you will have the power to leap over any hurdles that are before you.
So, don’t give up! And if you have given up, pick yourself up and start again. You have made health goals for a reason, so use our suggestions to help you stick to them. You know you will feel better if you do, both physically and mentally, so do your best to persevere. You can do this!
P.S. This post is a partner collaboration.
