Creating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle is not easy. The pressures of work, family and social obligations can often leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted which results in a poor diet and a decrease in exercise. When you are feeling this way or suffering an injury, impairment or illness it can be really difficult to muster up the courage and motivation to set yourself the challenge of a healthier lifestyle.
To help you kick start your 2021 New Year goals we have put together a few simple ideas that can help you to make a few small changes on your way to better health this year.
Start By Establishing Good Habits
At the start of each year most people either want to create at least one good habit, or give up a bad one. This is important because setting goals and creating healthy habits helps with both your mental health and wellbeing.
A habit is something that is routine to you and that you repeat, often without knowing it. Some habits are good and some habits are better to change. Here are a few tips to help establish good habits.
- Start small – It’s hard to change everything all at once; so it’s easier to set yourself small goals to make them achievable. This helps create good habits that will last. For example, it is easier to do a small amount of exercise each day than to decide to run a marathon.
- Give it time – It might take you several months to create a new habit. So you need to include the change as part of your regular routine. A diary (hard copy or online) or a wall planner may help you monitor your progress.
- Have a schedule – Many habits are triggered by events. For example, washing your hands is triggered by going to the toilet. It helps if you set triggers or a schedule for your new habit as part of your existing routine. This could include a particular time of day, or an event such as waking up or eating lunch.
- Set reminders – Setting reminders can help you maintain good habits. If you use an online diary, set automatic reminders on your computer and your phone. There are also apps available that help with goal setting and new habits.
- Be accountable to someone – Your family and friends can be a great support and can help to keep you motivated. Find someone that you trust that you can be accountable to, talk to and will help keep you on track.
If you slip back into your old habits, don’t give up – this is common. Just remember why you wanted to make the change.
Try This Healthy Habit Tool
Here’s a way to help yourself create a healthy habit:
- Decide on a goal.
- Choose a simple action you can take every day.
- Plan when and where you will take your action: choose a time and place that you encounter every day of the week.
- Every time you encounter that time and place, take the action.
- Congratulate yourself when you find yourself doing the action.
- It gets easier with time, and within 10 weeks you should find you are doing it without even thinking.
10 Tips To Help You Maintain Your 2021 Health Goals
Is your personal goal for 2021 to take better care of yourself and get healthy? Here are our top tips to help you keep going with good habits in 2021.
- Be realistic with goal setting.
- Plan your goals ahead of time and avoid basing them on your current mindset.
- Outline your plan and include contingencies for when old habits resurface.
- Make a ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ list for when you need motivation.
- Talk about it with friends and family.
- Reward yourself and celebrate your success with healthy gifts e.g. new activewear.
- Track your progress.
- Don’t beat yourself up over the occasional slip up. Do the best you can each day, and take one day at a time.
- Stick to it because it won’t happen overnight, so be persistent and patient!
- Keep trying even when things are not going to plan. Start over again and before you know it, you will be back on track.
A healthier lifestyle does not have to be a lifestyle that you don’t enjoy, try engaging in things you are passionate about and surround yourself with positive energy.
SPCH would like to wish all of our customers a Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you at Sandgate Physical Health Clinic in the coming months and supporting you with your personal health goals throughout 2021.