Building Good Habits
It’s the beginning of a new year and a motivating time to make healthy lifestyle changes. Many people make a New Year’s resolution to exercise more. This can be setting a goal to walk 10,000 steps a day or go to the gym three times a week, but how long does that actually last? One week or one month later, they find themselves back to eating junk food instead of exercising. So how can you make a lasting change?
The key is to create a system that will set you up for success. Here are some tips to help you stay on track:
Pick a super easy activity you enjoy doing. If you hate running, don’t resolve to start running every day. Instead, choose an activity that you enjoy, such as dancing to your favorite song or walking in the park.
Make this new activity part of your routine by linking it to a habit you already have in place. This can be something like doing your activity after you brush your teeth in the morning, on your way home from work, or as part of your regular meet-up with friends.
Congratulate yourself every time you do this new activity. Give yourself positive self-talk and celebrate your success in sticking to your resolution.
Be flexible and be kind to yourself if you miss a workout or have a setback. Remember that it’s ok to have off days. You’re not a failure, you’re human. Don’t let a setback derail your entire resolution. Just make sure you get back on track as soon as you can.
In order to become a more physically active person, you have to prove to yourself that you can do it through small wins. By following these tips, you can build a series of small behavior changes: After work, walk for 5 minutes, and compliment yourself when you complete it successfully. After a few days, change it to walking 10 minutes after work. A few days after that, increase it to 15 minutes, etc. Through a series of gradual wins, you prove to yourself that you are someone who exercises on a regular basis. This increases your chances of successfully keeping your New Year’s resolution to exercise more and improving your overall health and well-being. Have patience with yourself, and you’ll make it happen!
