Most people start every new year with good intentions to get fitter and take better care of their health. Unfortunately, these good intentions often don’t last long, and many people soon slip back into their old habits.
When you are trying to be healthy, January can seem like a long and difficult month to navigate. According to one study, January 19th is when most new year’s resolutions are likely to fail. So, if you have reached the end of January and left your good intentions behind, you are not alone. But just because things haven’t gone to plan so far doesn’t mean you need to give up on your hopes for the coming year. It doesn’t need to be January 1st to make a fresh start, so why not make one now instead?
If you want some easy ideas to help you improve your health, these tips should help:
Don’t Set Yourself Up to Fail
You may want to lose 20 pounds, train for a marathon, join a sports team and become vegan. While knowing what you want to achieve is good, doing too much at once can mean you set yourself up to fail. Trying to do lots of things at once means you are being pulled in lots of different directions. Suddenly, your good intentions won’t seem like such a good idea. Attempting to take on too much at once puts added pressure on yourself and makes giving up on your goals to get healthy much easier. So making sure that any goals you set yourself are realistic is essential.
Focus on What Matters
Instead of trying to accomplish a long list of health and fitness goals, it can be helpful to focus your attention on one thing that matters most to you. It is far easier to achieve something when you can give it your full attention. Thinking of one positive change that you can make to your health that will deliver the most significant benefits is an excellent place to start. Maybe you feel you have become dependent on alcohol, and want to make getting sober your priority. If so, beginning to research how you can make this happen by visiting sites such as http://rdsoberliving.com/ is a great place to start.
Keep Your Pantry Stocked with Healthy Staples
It’s easier to eat healthy when you keep your pantry stocked with healthy staples. These staples are foods that are nutrient-dense, non-processed, and can form the basis of a balanced diet. Some examples of healthy staples include:
- Fruits: Apples, bananas, berries, citrus fruits, etc.
- Vegetables: Leafy greens, carrots, peppers, sweet potatoes, etc.
- Whole grains: Brown rice, whole grain bread, oatmeal, quinoa, etc.
- Lean proteins: Chicken, fish, tofu, legumes, etc.
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, etc.
- Healthy fats: Olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, etc.
Having these staples on hand makes it easier to prepare healthy meals and snacks. It’s also helpful to vary your choices to ensure a balanced intake of different nutrients.
Make Your Changes Positive
Sometimes attempting to improve your health can feel like you are punishing yourself. Avoiding the things that you love, whether that is smoking or eating unhealthy foods, can be challenging. But, instead of viewing these lifestyle changes in a negative way, it is helpful to think about all the positives that you will gain. You may find it helpful to write a list of all the benefits that you will gain by sticking with your new healthy habit. Doing this should help you to see the positive impact that the changes are having on your life and will show that your efforts are worth the hard work. Keep track of your progress, and you should soon see impressive results.
