No matter how old you are, making healthy changes is good for you. Especially if you’re not satisfied with some aspects of your life or you see that they are seriously affecting your mental and/or physical health. However, wishing to make a change and actually going through with it are two different things and most of us have at least once in our lives failed to make the wanted change. We have most likely given up exercising after a few days or weeks or treated ourselves to some “forbidden” food while on a diet. Also, no matter how much we wanted to stop worrying about a certain problem, it just wasn’t possible at that moment in the past. The list just goes on and on. So, what is it that we can do to really implement the changes?
Draw up a plan
A good plan must contain a goal or several of them, though you might want to start with one simple and achievable goal, to boost your confidence. For example, you’re out of shape and are considering joining a gym. That’s all fine and you should definitely do it, but make sure you have a very clearly defined goal in mind, such as losing 5 kg or becoming healthy enough to run 5 km. If you have such a plan in writing, you’ll be more committed to it, because you’d feel more obliged to do your part of the deal (although this is a deal you’ve made with yourself).
Find the right method
Once you have a goal and plan, you have to think about your strategy, i.e. the way in which you’re going to achieve your goal. You should probably talk to your doctor and get their recommendation about the type of activities you should engage in and their intensity. Similarly, when it comes to implementing some changes into your diet, it’s always advisable to listen to a nutritionist, who’ll know exactly what kind of food is best for you and whether you need to take any pre workout supplements, which would help you get the most out of your exercising routine.
Remain committed
If you’ve already introduced some changes to your life, you need to remain persistent and committed and be aware that no major results can occur overnight. What you need to do is be patient and stick to the plan and not think about giving up or having second thoughts about why you’ve started with changes in the first place.
Reward yourself
It’s very important to treat yourself for every successful milestone you reach. Just like kids love being rewarded for something they do well, grown-ups need that kind of treat, too. Just make sure you don’t treat yourself to an unhealthy snack that would ruin your diet and present a setback. Think about this treat well in advance and find something that would make you happy and motivate you to stay on the right track.
Be active
A sedentary life can’t be a healthy one, no matter how much attention you pay to your diet. It’s of utmost importance that you are constantly on the move, because the more active you are, the more energetic and cheerful you’ll feel. So, explore alternatives such as riding a bike to school or work or walking, rather than driving. Also, taking the stairs is a great exercise, especially when you’re not carrying all your shopping bags with you. You may start by occasionally taking the stairs and increase the frequency, as you get fitter.
Ditch all the excuses
Things don’t always go according to your plan. Sometimes there are objective reasons that prevent us from achieving our goals, but more often than not, it’s our own fault that we haven’t achieved all the goals we set. To implement changes successfully, we have to believe we’re doing the right thing and we need to have the needed willpower. Don’t forget that your wellbeing is the most important thing both for you and your family.
Anticipate obstacles
It’s important that you know what kind of obstacles you can expect, so that you can be ready for them. Think about the ways in which you can leap over them. Let’s say you believe you’ll get hungry late in the evening. If your kitchen cabinets and fridge are not well stocked with healthy foods, you’ll spoil everything by opting for unhealthy food. Similarly, if the weather gets worse, you might postpone your routine jog if you don’t have the right footwear and clothes. So, get them before the temperature drops significantly.
All in all, we have no excuse not to make us healthier. However, a healthier lifestyle can only be achieved if we do the right things and remain persistent and positive about it.
