We have all thought the same thing at one point, “I use to be in such great shape. What happened?” The fact is, life is what happened. We all have unexpected situations thrown at us or obligations that take up most of our time. The truth is, these things will never really go away. What can change is the way you organize yourself in order to better deal with the unexpected circumstances and obligations. I will give you six ways to develop healthy habits and get you back on track to living a healthier lifestyle.
1.Identify the Bad Habits You Already Have
Most of us, if not all of us have unhealthy habits. It may be diving into the freezer for that silky ice cream
or lighting up a cigarette on your break. Whatever the habit you first need to accept that it is contributing to your unhealthy lifestyle. Many of us live by the notion “if it’s not affecting me now, why worry about it?”
You need to worry about it because by the time something does affect you, it may be too late. Getting a head start on identifying your bad habits is the first step towards developing a healthy lifestyle
2.Set Goals, Attainable Ones
You have probably already heard this one plenty of times before, but this might be the single most important step
in making a change in any aspect of your life. Especially for breaking bad habits. You need to set goals for yourself and make sure they are attainable goals. If you have not worked out in years, maybe don’t set a goal to make the Olympic weightlifting team this next season. Rather, set goals for yourself that challenge yourself, but you know you can achieve. Too many times people set unattainable goals for themselves then get discouraged when they can’t complete them. Don’t let yourself get discouraged, set attainable goals!
3.Small Steps Are Better Than Big Jumps
Contrary to what you may see on television advertisements taking big leaps to reach your goals is the worst way to make a change permanent. Most people want gratification right away and are always looking for the get rich quick or get in shape in the least amount of time route. The truth is, this is the worst way to go about making a real change in your life. Bad habits start because they are the easy way out and it’s easy to just keep down the same road. Just like setting attainable goals, taking the \”slow but steady\” approach to attain those goals is the best way to make sure you don’t get discouraged and stop the changing process.
4.Don’t Rely Solely On Your Motivation
When we first decide to make a change, we are the most motivated to make that change. As many of you know, we do not feel the same way about things on certain days. Our motivation can waiver from day to day and the best way to combat our own minds is to set up a process that anticipates your down days. Make back up plans in case your first plan did not work out. Ask for social support and most important of all, remind yourself that some days you will not want to do whatever it is you have to do. If you plan of time, it will help you cope with the stresses of making the change.
5.Make Yourself Accountable
Too many times I have seen people make excuses for their shortcomings and this is the same when it comes to making a change. There will be shortcomings in your attempt to change your life for the better and when those shortcomings happen, do not make an excuse and hold yourself accountable. This is the main reason people hire personal trainers. Personal trainers hold you accountable for your actions and guide you on those down days. You might think, “why do I need to pay money for a personal trainer?” The fact is that it can be very beneficial. It takes stress off the mind, holds you accountable, and acts as the social support you need for those down days.
6.Find Joy in Your New Change
Everyone has heard the saying “if you do something you love, you never have to work a day in your life.” We all try and strive for that, but don’t always end up never having to work a day in our lives. We all must do things that we don’t want to do, but if we find satisfaction in the things we do, then it will make it 100 percent easier for you to do them. For example, if you are trying to be a healthier person and love to cook, experiment with your cooking and see if you can make healthier variations of your favorite dishes. The road to change will be hard, but if you can keep the glass half full mentality, you will reach your goals!
Developing healthy habits is very hard for some and easier for others. What may work for one person may not work for the other, but it is your mentality towards the change that really matters. If you are having trouble obtaining the right mentality to make a change, you may want to consider working with a personal trainer!
Come in to Iron Orr Fitness Center today to receive a FREE Complimentary Consultation. We will give you a medical grade body composition test, a 20min workout/evaluation with one of our certified personal trainers and develop a plan to help you reach your fitness goals.
Iron Orr Fitness was voted Top 5 Best Personal Trainers in La Jolla. Call (858) 255-0367