3 Tips for Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Nearly 61% of all people want to make healthy lifestyle choices, but only 31% actually commit to changes.
You are not alone in struggling to make and keep healthy choices. Many people feel overwhelmed and confused by all of the health-focused advice in the modern world.
Luckily, three key strategies lead to success.
If you find it difficult to embrace a healthy lifestyle, these three tips will help you make the right choices and stick with them.
1. Recognize Your Weaknesses
Do you always reach for that bottle of wine at 6:00 pm? Are you more likely to indulge when you’re feeling sad or stressed? Do you find it impossible to walk past the chips and candy without a grocery list?
Humans are undeniably creatures of routine. Think about the habits you want to change and when you most often give in to your cravings. How are you training your mind and body to respond to routine and emotions?
Understanding emotional eating is important to developing your self-control. Before giving in, fast-forward to tomorrow morning. Drinking that bottle of wine, skipping the gym, and binge-watching your TV show will probably make you feel worse.
Remember to start with simple changes. Crash diets, boot camp workouts, and unrealistic expectations will not help your long-term health. Create plans you can stick with, like drinking water and exercising daily.
2. Make Healthy Decisions Easier
Now that you’ve recognized your weak points, you can start to adapt your habits. Commit to holding yourself accountable, and remind yourself of your desire for a healthy life.
Help yourself by making the right decisions easier. If you frequently reach for alcohol and junk food after work, try hiding these items out of sight and mind. Set your running shoes or gym clothes by the bed to make your early morning workouts easier.
Create a weekly healthy diet plan and stick to it! A meal plan makes healthy dieting much easier and can save you money on groceries every week. You’ll be less likely to order takeout when you know you need to cook your produce before it expires.
If you have a hard time with self-discipline, try the buddy system! Send your buddy a text the next time you’re feeling tempted to skimp on your goals. A friend, spouse, or sibling can remind you why you’re making these changes and may even join you on your health journey.
3. Reward Yourself
When you commit to your health, it’s important to reward yourself! Positive reinforcement is the most effective means of sticking to your goals. When you feel good about your progress, you are more likely to keep going.
Set goals and milestones that work for you. If weight loss is important to you, set goal weights, but progress doesn’t have to be measured on the scale. Be proud of yourself for exercising daily, drinking water, eating greens, and avoiding alcohol and junk food.
When you meet a milestone, reward yourself! Buy an item from your wish list, have a spa day, or see a movie in theaters. Planning rewards can keep you motivated to stick to your goals.
Remember that food should not be used as a reward. Your body needs food to survive, and food is an important part of our cultural and social experiences. You do not need to earn food, but you can be mindful of healthy food choices.
Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Creating a healthy life is more than a one-and-done event. In the end, crash diets and crazy workouts don’t work because they fail to adjust our daily habits. Follow these three strategies and healthy lifestyle choices will feel like a piece of cake.
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Ben Stern wrote this article on behalf of FreeUp. FreeUp is the fastest-growing freelance marketplace in the US. FreeUp only accepts the top 1% of freelance applicants. Click here to get access to the top freelancers in the world.
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