How To Recharge Your Health Goals
Here we are approaching mid-spring with January long gone. The excitement, motivation, and good intentions you had for yourself at the beginning of the year may have slowly dwindled, leaving you to invite in old habits and maybe even some thoughts of self-doubt. We hope this blog finds you still crushing your 2022 health goals but perhaps you are struggling, as we mentioned above. This blog may be coming to you in perfect timing. Here to help you get back on track and remember WHY you wanted to improve your quality of life, this blog will outline a strategy for you that is achievable and will re-spark some inspiration.
First off, you must give yourself some grace. After all, you are only human, and life happens. Things get hard; you get in a rut and turn back to unhealthy habits. Commend yourself for even recognizing that you want to make a change and go from there. Why do most people fail at sticking to the health goals they set for themselves? One of the top reasons people do not follow through with their health goals is because they try to accomplish too much or set the expectations too high. Let’s look at how you can get remotivated, make some positive changes to your health, and ultimately achieve your health goals.
1. Rediscover Your Why
Have you thought about why you set those goals in the first place? If not, it’s time to revisit. Perhaps you are tired of feeling sluggish, not wanting to get out of bed, and just overall in a rut. Why do you want to feel better? Who are you doing it for? If it’s not just for you, think about who else, such as your family or kids. Visualize what life will be like when you are feeling good again. You wake every day wanting to achieve your goals and set a good example for your family and loved ones. How does it feel to engage in healthy habits that become a lifestyle and not just a diet or exercise fad? You CAN do it. You just have to remind yourself WHY you are doing it. This mindset is where the magic happens, and you become invincible.
2. Set Attainable Goals
It’s no wonder people fail at achieving their goals when their goals are so unrealistic. If you told yourself back in January that you were going to cook a healthy meal every night, workout every day, and lose 50 lbs in a month, you probably didn't do it. Why? Because that amount of goals to jump into is unrealistic. You have bitten off more than you can chew. Instead of setting multiple goals that will most likely overwhelm you, think hard about a few goals you could tackle and actually achieve. Start small and gradually increase your goals over time. Maybe you should make it a goal to focus on a healthy home-cooked meal three nights a week. Or perhaps you make it a priority to work out at least two days a week and build up from there. If you try to do too much at once, you will burn out and inevitably not achieve your goals.
3. Celebrate the Small Wins
Maybe you are not exactly where you want to be but take a look at how far you’ve come? Remember to embrace the small wins along your health journey. Even if it is a tiny accomplishment, recognizing the win will help you keep going. Let’s say you went home and cooked a healthy meal instead of grabbing something quick like fast food. The old you would have listened to those cravings, but rather, you said no. That in itself is an accomplishment! Be proud of yourself for taking action towards your goals. Or, even though you are not seeing major results yet, you have constantly been putting in the work at the gym. Reward yourself! Tell a friend, or maybe buy yourself some new workout gear. It is so important to celebrate these wins.
4. Change Takes Time
Did you know it takes, on average, 66 days to form a new habit?[1] Don’t expect to automatically be taking action for your goals. It takes time and effort to turn these actions into a lifestyle where they become habits. No one said trying new healthy behaviors was easy, but if you focus on putting in the effort, all that work will eventually pay off. Before you know it, you will automatically be incorporating these habits into your everyday life. Slow and steady wins the race. If you have a slip-up, jump back on the horse and move forward WITHOUT beating yourself up. Remember, there is always tomorrow.
5. Find a Support System
Achieving goals can be challenging when you do it alone. Forming healthy habits is hard enough. Find someone who will encourage you on this journey! A little encouragement from a loved one or friend goes a long way. Find someone who has similar goals, and you can hold each other accountable. How great would it be to have a friend to walk or work out with you, swap healthy recipes and listen to your successes? Knowing you have someone who believes in you and is also on a relatable journey is huge! Not to mention the added mental and emotional support you will have to truly listen to you when you are struggling.
Your health is EVERYTHING. If you are struggling to get your health back on track and stick to your health goals, try to incorporate the advice above. Know you can get to a place where healthy habits become your lifestyle. A lifestyle where you feel good knowing you are doing what you can to maintain a healthy life. But remember, do not strive for perfection because you will never get there. Perfection doesn’t exist. Strive for progress.
Source:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3505409/