How To Take Control Of Your Goal To Live Healthier

Making a goal is easy; it’s achieving it that becomes difficult, especially if you lead a busy lifestyle or have had setbacks that are out of your control. The first thing to remember is that it’s okay to go easy on yourself when this happens; sometimes life just gets in the way. The second thing to remember is that when you’ve found you can’t keep up with a promise to yourself, it’s important to find a new way around it. This is especially true if the goal involves getting healthier and making some lifestyle changes in your diet and exercise routine because no one can make those changes but you.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to go about it; all it takes is a little planning and possibly some help from your friends and family. Here are a few of the best tips on taking back your goal to live healthier.

Recruit some friends

It’s difficult to go through any sort of change all alone, so recruit some friends or family to be your support system. Start a workout group that meets a few times a week, or talk to your family members about what sort of changes you want to make in your diet and ask if they’re willing to take the journey with you. After all, it’s much easier to stick to a meal plan if you aren’t sabotaged by cookies and chips in the pantry. The best part of this plan is that you can get your family involved in a healthier lifestyle, as well, which can help everyone feel and look better.

Make it fun

Changing up your exercise routine is key in order to keep from getting bored with it. As soon as you start to feel like it’s repetitive, change things up and add some fun elements. For instance, a workout doesn’t have to be sit-ups and squats; you can add dancing, trying out the hula hoop with your kids, playing a sport in the backyard, or just going for a long walk with your significant other after dinner.

If you have a dog, it’s a great idea to get him involved in your new workout plan, too. Dogs are excellent motivators when it comes to getting outside and being active, so put on some comfy clothes and take your pooch for a long walk through the park, or play fetch in the yard.

Try something new

If you make discovery a part of your new routine, you’ll be able to look at exercise in a whole new way. Try something you’ve always wanted to do but never have, such as rock climbing, competitive running, water aerobics, or yoga. These are all things you can do in a group, as well, which will make them that much more fun.

Invest in the right tools

Maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult if you try to keep up without the right tools. A helpful item to add to your kitchen is a food scale. You always need to pay attention to how much you’re eating, even if you’ve improved your eating habits. A food scale will help you track the sizes of your portions by weighing them. Plus, this product has improved over the years, so it’s better than ever.

Stay motivated

This one’s a toughie, because when you’re tired after a long day at work, or when you’ve had a bad day and just want to curl up and watch Netflix, it’s hard to motivate yourself to get up and work out. Find ways to keep yourself on track, such as posting a photo of yourself at your ideal weight on the fridge, or hanging up little motivational notes on the mirror to keep yourself going.

You can also take advantage of the “treat yourself” philosophy, in which you allow yourself a treat after you’ve completed a milestone in your workouts or when you made yourself get up and exercise even though you were tired. Indulge in a pedicure or massage after these events and give yourself something to look forward to.

Remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be difficult at first, so don’t be hard on yourself if you experience setbacks. Make it a point to try something new to find what works.

Post by Sheila Olson of fitsheila.com