Getting Into a Good Health Routine
As we head through November and towards the new year, many of us are already starting to think about our new years resolutions. These are life-improving goals that we set ourselves, often vowing to alter our behaviour or habits to lead a healthier and happier life. Of course, this is all good and well, but why not get started now? You don’t have to wait until the 1st of January to get things started and small changes in advance can help you to gear up to implement larger changes and achieve grander goals once the new year rolls around. Here are a few tips and tricks that can get your good health routine off to the best start possible!
Be Realistic With Your Goals
When setting any health goal, it’s important to be realistic. If you set something that is too out of reach, you’re going to find yourself failing at it and being disheartened. For example, if you want to build stamina, you don’t have to set yourself the goal of running a marathon in two months’ time. If your goal is to lose a stone, you can’t expect to tick this off your to-do list in one week. Look into realistic time scales for the changes you’re planning on making, as this can help you to achieve your goals in a safe and manageable way.
It Doesn’t Have to Be All or Nothing
All too many people also make the mistake of thinking that improving their health needs to be an all or nothing venture. This is something that we tend to see with new years resolutions. People will set themselves health goals, slip up once, and call it quits. Instead, see this as a self-improvement journey. We will all make mistakes from time to time and nobody can be perfect for the rest of their lives. Good health is a lifestyle change and balance is key to success. Be patient with yourself. Ease into the changes. Take one small step at a time. Consistent, but gradual, positive change is much better than going all out for a couple of weeks and then giving up or returning wholly to bad habits.
Use a Habit Tracker
Some of us find that we are more motivated to do things when we are tracking them. There are plenty of free-to-use apps out there that allow you to set your goals, and milestones and track your progress. They can provide notifications and reminders, holding you accountable and making you acknowledge if you are slipping behind with your new health commitments. Often, you can add custom goals, ranging from “walk 10,000 steps a day” to “take your health supplements”. These apps not only encourage you to do what you’ve told yourself you will do, but they provide a good record of what you’re doing, how consistent you’ve been, and more. This can help you to understand the results you’re seeing.
Focus: Diet
A common area of our health that many of us consistently try to improve is our diet. Put simply, eating a healthy, balanced diet is simple. Avoid fads and crash course diets. Eat within your recommended calorie count. Get your five a day. Avoid cutting out any food groups unnecessarily. It’s all about moderation.
Focus: Skincare
Skincare can be difficult to nail down, as we all have different types of skin. Some people will have oily, some will have combination, some will have dry, some will have normal. Undergo a skin type analysis to find what skin type you have and what products will best suit it. You should also see a specialist about skin conditions in order to benefit from specific treatments, such as eczema treatment, psoriasis treatment or acne treatment.
Focus: Exercise
Try to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week. The key here is to find something that you enjoy or to hire a personal trainer who will hold you accountable. There are countless forms of exercise out there, ranging from running to jogging, swimming, dance, guided fitness classes, cycling and even alternative options like pole fitness.
Focus: Sleep
Aim for eight hours of sleep every night. This gives your body time to recuperate and recover. Chronic sleep deprivation can result in a host of both physical and mental health issues, so really make sure you settle down for your slumber and catch those zzz’s on a nightly basis.
Health really does reign supreme in life, so do what you can to lead as healthy a lifestyle as possible. Hopefully, some of the guidance above will help you along the way and provide some inspiration!
Tia, and TipsfromTia.com is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.