One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to lose weight, work out more, and be healthier overall. This can be a major lifestyle change for some, and once you get started, it can be hard to stick with your plan and goals. With that in mine, we have complied easy ways to improve your health this year!
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Make a routine – There’s an old saying that says “it only takes two weeks to make or break a habit”. Whether or not that’s scientifically measurable or not, it is clear that adding exercise into your daily/weekly routine is a great way to stay on track with your health and fitness goals. If working out is built into your schedule, you’re far less likely to forget or come up with excuses to skip.
- Track your progress – Whether it be with a pen and paper or on one of the thousands of fitness apps on the market, tracking your goals and progress is critical in sticking with a health plan. This can be as simple as recording your weight over time, or as involved as tracking Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Fat Percentage and muscle mass. Regardless of what you track, having a record of your progress can be an enormous motivator to keep going or up your game when you have to!
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Practice portion control – Instead of eliminating major foods/food groups from your diet, try eating smaller quantities of each. This will make it easier to satisfy those pesky cravings without completely destroying your diet plan. Instead of eating a huge entre at a restaurant, split it with a friend. Not only will you be losing weight, you’ll be saving money while you do it!
- Go in with a friend – Make a pact with a friend to work out and change your eating habits together. Not only does this make longer workouts more bearable, but it also keeps you both more accountable for your progress. When someone else is prodding you to get up and work out, or reminds you not to indulge in that extra slice of cheesecake, it’s far easier to stick with your habit that it would be to go it alone.
- Don’t give up – Lastly, but most importantly, don’t give up. You will have bad days, and hard weeks, but the most important way to stick to your health goals is not to give up on them. Progress can be slow and tiring, but in the end, they will lead to a happier and healthier you.
