How to Stick to Your Healthy Lifestyle Plan

Congratulations, you have made some healthy choices. You have put away the old and embraced the new for the better. Perhaps you have noticed a marked increase in energy, a decrease in physical ailments, a better outlook on life and an overall sense of empowerment. It all started with a decision that you made to be the best you can be, to strive for health and to be well.

Now the big question is, how do you make this change last? How do you stay healthy and continue to move forward? After all, you have put so much effort into embracing a healthy life that it would be sorrowful to slip back into your old ways.

Believe it or not, the tricky part is not adapting new behaviors and attitudes; it is making them stick. So many times people reach a level of health that they have never known only to fall back into their old ways and lose all that they have gained.  To keep yourself moving forward consider these tips:

Understand balance

It is next to impossible to make the right choice 100% of the time. You will have days when it is harder to exercise, harder to make great food choices and just more difficult to stay motivated. Being realistic about the curve balls that life will pitch you will help to keep you balanced. Balance means staying in touch with what is important always, striving to do your best and picking yourself up and moving forward when you have a bad moment or even a bad day. Balance is about being real and understanding that it is ok to slip as long as you get up and continue forward progression.

Do what you love

When it comes to exercise, there is no way that you are going to stick to your routine if you are doing something that you don’t love. The key to adopting healthy regime is to find a few things that bring you joy and do them as often as you can. Keep in mind that the key to an active lifestyle is not to feel like exercise is your enemy. Embrace activities that you love like walking, biking, swimming, dancing or even playing with your kids as often as you can. You will soon become unaware that you are even exercising because you are enjoying yourself so much.

Keep learning

As Leonardo da Vinci said, ” Learning never exhausts the mind.” A hunger for new information will keep you on top of a healthy life. Find good sources and plug in often. The more you learn about food, nutrition, and exercise, the better choices you will make. Don’t ever let a lack of knowledge propel you towards inaction or inadequate action. There is so much good, solid information available that learning is easy.. Keep a record of all of the things you learn and make it a habit to try new things weekly.

Take it one step at a time

When making changes in your life, always remember that you can never get where you are going without taking the first step. Sometimes the first move is the hardest, but it is also the most important. Furthermore, you always have to walk before you can walk faster… if you put one foot in front of the other and continue moving, you will always be gaining and improving your health. Discouragement often comes when we try to do too much too quickly.

Be ok with where you are

Know that where you are is where you should be. This will help you keep perspective on your health journey. Be kind to yourself and don’t forget to forgive yourself if you slip up a bit. Worrying constantly about where you are going will take away from enjoying where you are at the moment. Look back down your path and see how far you have come rather than be concerned with how far you have to go. You will be amazed at how much influence you can have on yourself – you can be your best cheerleader or your worst critic. It is always best to be the cheerleader.

Surround yourself with like-minded family and friends

Social pressure can be both beneficial and also devastating. Your long term success with your healthy life will be challenged by social pressure along the way. To make it easier, surround yourself with family and friends who love and support you. People who feel the same way about health as you do will make your journey much easier. Even if they don’t agree 100% with all that you are doing, if they are respectful and supportive it will be much easier for you to remain focused. Some people even find it easier to join a support group with people who are on the same track. This gives you a safe place to talk about your concerns, share ideas and motivate each other.

Have a plan for traveling

Of course adopting a healthy lifestyle does not mean that you put all areas of your life on hold, including travel. With the general population becoming more and more aware of the necessity of healthy choices, there are more options to stay healthy while you travel. However, don’t ignore the benefit that a little planning along the way can have. While you are still in the planning stages, be sure that you will have access to healthy food and places to exercise while you travel.

This may even mean bringing along a workout tape or arranging a vacation where you can be active. If you plan on eating out a lot, know the in’s and out’s of dining out and what is acceptable for your meal plan. Some people find it easier to rent a place where they can do their shopping and cooking most of the time. This way you can be in control of what you are eating. If you are planning a road trip – pack your food and make ample time to stop, get out and walk around.

Be mindful

No matter what, always be mindful. Be aware of what you are eating, what you are doing and even what you are speaking and thinking. Take time to enjoy life, enjoy food, enjoy an active lifestyle and you will find that health is no longer a pursuit as much as it is a way of life that you embrace.

-Be Well

Keeping it Fresh, New, and Enjoyable

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is one of the best gifts that you can give yourself. Once you start making positive changes, you will begin to feel your old self sloughing away and a new person being formed. At first, the incredible changes that are happening in your body and even your mind, are enough to keep you motivated and on track.

After some time, it is not unusual and expected, that you may become a bit bored with your routine and long for a bit of spice to keep the spark of motivation lit. When the stresses of daily life creep in along with social pressures, staying plugged in becomes increasingly difficult. Here are some tips to help keep you going strong in your pursuit of optimal wellness:

Change up your aerobic routine

Sometimes all it takes is a change in your workout routine to keep things interesting and fun. Think outside the box and learn how to mix and match for best results. Here are some great ideas.

Outdoor activities

Engaging in aerobic activities outdoors provides multiple benefits. Fresh air, vitamin D, and time in nature are three reasons to spice up your workout routine with some of these great outdoor activities.

  • Cycling
  • Hiking
  • Cross – country skiing
  • Snowshoeing
  • Rollerblading
  • Swimming
  • Wakeboarding
  • Ice Skating
  • Paddle boarding
  • Rowing
  • Kayaking

Group classes

It is often helpful to be in a common space with people who are all working towards the same goal; to be healthy and fit. Many people find that they are motivated by group classes. Here are just a few that you can try.

  • Zumba
  • Kettlebells
  • Spinning
  • Dancing
  • Power yoga
  • Crossfit
  • Water aerobics

Sports

Are you a sports fanatic? Why not participate in activities that are loads of fun and will also get your heart pumping, Below are some popular options.

  • Racquetball
  • Tennis
  • Basketball
  • Hockey
  • Volleyball
  • Boxing
  • Karate
  • Flag football
  • Soccer

Workout videos

Perhaps you like the idea of an instructor-based class but are not up for the social buzz that goes along with joining a class at the gym. Workout videos are a great alternative that allow you to participate in an instructor-led class in the comfort of your home. You can even get the whole family engaged! There is no shortage of videos from which you can choose. These are just a sampling of what is available.

  • Tae Bo
  • Hip Hop Abs
  • The Biggest Loser workouts
  • Gilad’s Bodies in Motion
  • Dancing with the Stars workouts
  • P9OX
  • T-24
  • Jillian Michaels workouts
  • Fitness Blender ( this one is free online)

At the gym

If you belong to a gym, be sure to get your money’s worth. Perhaps the treadmill is your go-to cardio machine, be daring and branch out a little. Here are some ideas:

  • Elliptical trainer
  • Stationary bike
  • Stair climbers
  • Rowing machine
  • Adaptive motion trainer
  • Incline trainer
  • Versa climber

For the fun of it

Infuse some joy into your life with these exciting activities. You will have so much fun that you won’t even know that you are breaking a sweat.

  • Walking your dog
  • Tag
  • Obstacle course
  • Dodge ball
  • Jump rope
  • Skipping
  • Rebounding
  • Playing with your kids
  • Pool basketball/volleyball

Around the house

Get your chores done and stay fit at the same time.

  • Mowing your lawn with a push mower (no riders allowed)
  • Washing your car
  • Mopping the floor
  • Planting trees and bushes
  • Shoveling snow
  • Washing windows
  • Painting
  • Putting up a fence

Consider high-intensity interval training

High-intensity interval training (HIIT), is also known as high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) or sprint interval training (SIT). This type of training involves short periods of really intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods. These cardiovascular exercise sessions last between 4-30 minutes.

This type of  exercise is great because it can help with glucose metabolism and has the capability of blasting fat long after the workout is over. Besides, this type of exercise has the advantage over others in that it requires no equipment. While you can use equipment such as kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls, spin bikes, etc… there are numerous variations that require nothing more than a pair of gym shoes.  A great starter workout is running fast for one minute and walking for two minutes. You can repeat this for a total of 15 minutes for a super effective workout.

Surround yourself with like-minded people

It is a good idea to surround yourself with individuals who share common goals. Social cues can be either positive or negative. It is always best to stay clear of situations that might undermine your success and efforts and gravitate towards those that affirm and lift you up. One way to keep on track is to engage in social activities with other healthy people. Having a group of friends to stay healthy with also keep ideas circulating and provides new opportunities to engage in a fun and active lifestyle together.

Don’t let stress get your best

Everyone has stress; the goal is not to eliminate it but to learn how to respond to it, how to manage it in a way that it doesn’t interfere with your attitude or performance.

Once we let stress overcome us we can quickly become discouraged and lose sight of our goals. This makes it almost impossible to keep on pressing towards the mark.

To keep your healthy lifestyle fresh, new and exciting, set up barriers and coping tools for managing stress in your life. Learn how to relax, say no more often and remember that if you are no good to yourself, you will be no good to others.

A new start each day

Each day gives you the opportunity to be your best. Keep it fresh and exciting while you strive to be the healthiest you can be. Don’t forget to enjoy the journey along the way.

-Be Well