It’s now April—long gone are those New Year’s goals to lose weight, work out, and eat better. Sure, maybe you tried it for a few weeks, maybe you even found a few new habits that stuck with you. But let’s face it, it’s hard to get motivated in the winter. It’s far easier to “Netflix and chill” as they say, than to change your body and improve your health,
Good news: Spring is here! Now is the perfect time to dust off those New Year’s goals and start up again. Need a little motivation to get started? Here are some easy ways to get going.
Get your head in the game to improve your health
Let’s first start with the way you think about these goals to improve your health. If they seem overwhelming, and your body already aches when you start working out, or the thought of giving up cake has you in anxiety-mode, it’s time to change your mindset.
When your brain tells you “you can’t,” guess what happens? Your body says ‘“nope, not happening.” So think about what your body will say when your brain gives it permission to be positive?
Exactly! Your body knows it can do it. Control your mind not to be the naysayer. You can—and you will!—improve your health.
Mind over matter—try these tips:
- Picture yourself working out. Taking deep breaths, feeling your body move and feeling how good you feel after.
- Picture yourself eating healthy. How do you feel after you ate that fresh salad? That juicy piece of fruit you got at the farmers market? Now, think about how different you feel if you ate a bag of chips instead?
Find your mantra
Sometimes all you need are the right words to get you going. Find a saying or a few, that help focus your mind on your goals to improve your health. What motivates you? Why are you making this change?
Here’s a few of my favorite mantras:
- I Am Capable. I Am Strong. I Believe in Myself. I am worth it.
- I choose what I become.
- One Year Equals 365 Possibilities
I find mantras are great for everything in life, not just being healthy on the outside. They allow me to focus on who I am on the inside, too. Many clients I work with tend to self-sabotage themselves without even realizing they are doing it. Have a few mantras ready for when you hear the negative self talk, and flip the switch back to positive — remember, “today will be another successful day.”
Start small and have fun
Rome wasn’t built in a day—and new lifestyle changes don’t happen overnight. Pick one new habit to change, for example, start walking everyday. Once you have that down, add 10 sit-ups to your routine.
I also love to have fun! If you get bored with walking, play catch with the dog, fly a kite, take a Zumba class. Or even change locations—walk around the park, the beach, the mountains…change the scenery often and enjoy the adventure. Walking doesn’t have to be boring!
If you have fun and improve your health, you’re way more likely to keep at it.
Do it daily
Start with a walk to the store, then slowly go longer or further. I love the app Couch to 5K. It starts you off walking and then slowly you run like 30 seconds at a time. I love how easy it is to do and how in only a few weeks you can actually run a 5K.
And don’t worry if you miss a day—but try to do something, even if it’s small! My friend loves to do “Just Dance” with her kids. She gets to spend time with her kids and work out, and bonus—it’s fun!
Be kind to yourself
You are making the changes to help you live a happier and healthier life. It’s ok if you mess up every now and then—be kind to yourself. I believe in you, so believe in yourself.
Tell me what you plan to do to change your body and improve your health!
