8 Helpful Tips to Changing Your Lifestyle
“This is it. This time I will make those lifestyle changes. This time I will change forever”
If you have ever told yourself this, you are not alone.
Many of us try to make lifestyle changes (whether it be to lose weight, become stronger or just to be able to function better) with the attitude of wanting to “change our lives forever”, that “this time is different”, or that it is a “lifestyle change” that will last. Then often, something happens and it is not so and we slip back into our old ways.
Today, it WILL be different though. With these ten helpful life changing habits, you can make that change that you have been dreaming about. So, here are eight helpful tips and tricks to guide you through that lifestyle change that you are so badly looking for. These tips could really be the start of the change you want to see forever.
It is all about mindset. If you have struggled with this journey before, you probably know what your triggers are or where you can get thrown off from all your hard work. These triggers are important to identify. Once you have the awareness of what throws you off or what your triggers are, it is a lot easier to make sure to stay on track even if those triggers occur.
Look for motivation. Are there specific things in your life that motivate you? Maybe you get motivated by music, songs, or good quotes. Maybe there are other outside motivators in your life? Whatever it is that motivates you, make sure that you can always have access to it so that you will always feel motivated throughout this journey.
Get an accountability partner. This is somebody who is on the same mission that you are on. Whether it’s calling each other at night to check in, texting each other throughout the day, or exercising together, you are in this together rooting each other on. You both are looking to accomplish the same goal and won’t let each other fall off track as you both know how important it is to one another. I have a class (not exercise related) in my house and the teacher who currently lives alone and is caring for her husband with ALS has a friend call her each night to check in with her. Her friend reminds her that it is time to stop and go to bed, to look after herself so that she can look after her husband and family.
Write down your goals. Whether you do it privately or publicly, writing down your goals is a huge help. It helps give you direction and know where you are headed on this journey. Instead of feeling like you are just doing something in general, you have goals and know what you would like to accomplish.
Make these goals SMART. SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound) will give you even more direction than just knowing roughly what your goals are. When you go on this mission, make sure that you have clear, measurable, and attainable goals that you have given yourself to accomplish by a specific time. This way, you know what you need to do in order to reach your goals and you don’t feel overwhelmed by such lofty unattainable goals.
Treat yourself. Have in mind a prize for each time you accomplish a goal and once you accomplish your goal, make sure you actually get yourself the prize. This should not be food related but rather something that will help you with your journey, a fun experience with friends, or something relaxing that you can do for yourself. These treats will help you to feel proud of what you have accomplished and go onto the next goal that you want to accomplish.
Stock up on healthy food options. It is so important to stock up on healthy foods while going through this journey. The more you have available that is healthy, and the less you have in your house that is unhealthy, the more you will be able to eat healthy and not feel as if you need the snacks that you used to eat.
Schedule. It is so important to schedule your time and to write things down. Whether that is scheduling your meals, meal planning, or scheduling exercise time into your calendar, when it is written down, it is much easier to stick to.
If you stick with these 8 tips and tricks for implementing lasting change, you really can start seeing the change that you are looking for. So starting to work on implementing these tips today, enjoy the journey, embrace the change, and make that change everlasting!