No matter who you are and what you’re doing, when you first start out toward any goal that requires a change in your behavior, it’s not easy. You automatically revert to your previous behavior out of habit. In order to see real change, you have to set reminders out for yourself to keep telling you to make that change. It isn’t that you don’t want to change your lifestyle, it’s just too easy to go on automatic pilot and revert to old behaviors, such as unhealthy snacking or forgetting to exercise.
Create a menu at first and clean out the refrigerator and cupboards.
If you’re used to snacking on chips at night, don’t buy them. It’s just to easy to forget your grand plan of eating healthier. Instead, leave yourself a reminder to air pop some popcorn or do a few exercises to help overcome the urge for chips. Most of the time you’re not really hungry, but looking for something to do and eating has filled that void. Keep healthy snacks in the refrigerator, just in case you really are hungry.
Schedule your workout.
Make an appointment with the gym in your schedule. You’re far less apt to miss something if you have an appointment. That’s one reason people often stick to a plan of exercize when they workout with a personal trainer. Set a reminder on your phone to leave for the gym, just as an extra nudge to ensure you go. Follow your reminder, don’t ignore it. If you’re normally the type that hits the snooze button on the alarm, have a second reminder set to go off five minutes later.
Put pictures and quotes up to remind you why you want to live healthier.
Maybe you have just had a health scare and your doctor said start living healthier. Even if it was bad, every day that passes, lessens the fear just a tiny bit, taking away a bit of incentive to workout. If you want to lose weight, take a picture of yourself now and one to represent you afterward. Photoshopping your head on to a body you want can be encouraging. Put up encouraging quotes throughout the house and become your best cheerleader for your own good health.
- Sometimes you have to take more action than just setting a reminder. Always eat before you grocery shop and carry a list of foods to buy.
- Pick a task that you struggle to do, such as running up several flights of stairs or lifting buckets of kitty litter. Every week, try that task as a reminder. One day you’ll be able to do it with ease.
- Carry a bottle of water with you everywhere to remind you to drink more water. Sip on it frequently throughout the day.
- Set your bedtime alarm. You have an alarm to get you up in the morning that has to work overtime if you procrastinate getting sleep at night. Set an alarm to remind yourself to go to bed. It’s much healthier for you than watching that rerun of “Friends” or “Golden Girls.”