(eLivingtoday.com) Most people start the new year with the best of intentions, focused on making a positive change – such as exercising more, eating less fast food, cutting a bad habit, reading more or getting organized, among other goals – but it can be easy to slip up or let resolutions fall by the wayside throughout the year.
To help stay on track and make a real difference in your life, consider these tips to help stick to your resolution for the long-term.
Focus on small, healthy habits. While losing a set amount of weight, for example, can be a daunting goal, instead focus on a small habit that can aid you on the journey to a larger lifestyle change. Consider committing to a daily exercise regimen of at least 30 minutes or cutting sugary drinks or highly processed foods from your diet as changing just one or two behaviors can help make the habits second nature and allow you to focus on other goals.
Write it down. Write your goal in a place where you can see it every day, such as a note on your phone’s home screen, a piece of paper on your bedside table or even a bathroom mirror. Then track your progress as you go in a journal so you’re able to revisit how far you’ve come and celebrate your accomplishments along the way.
Build a support system. Tell family, friends and co-workers about what you are trying to achieve. Encourage them to prod and push you along the way, which will increase your accountability and help keep you on track.
Reward your successes. As you’re tracking your progress, remember to reward yourself when you reach milestones along the journey. If you worked out a certain number of days in a row, give yourself a rest day that includes a lighter activity like yoga or meditation, or buy a new outfit to celebrate reaching a portion of your weight loss goal. Focus on rewards that won’t negatively impact the hard work you’ve put in to reach this point.
Reset when necessary. If you fall off the wagon and miss a workout or overindulge, don’t let it sabotage your end goal. Each day starts a new cycle of 365 days, so pretend that New Year’s Day starts each day and refocus on the change you wanted to make.
Find more ideas for living a healthy lifestyle at eLivingtoday.com.
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