3 Ways to Stick with Your Healthy Resolutions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Tina Van Horn, Reliv Product Marketing Specialist and originally posted by Reliv International

How about a little reality check on that New Year’s resolution that you made to lose weight, eat healthier or start exercising? Are you still going strong?  Or, do you prefer not to talk about it? Don’t feel too bad if your enthusiasm for change has faded to frustration — as many as 80% of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned in time to indulge in Valentine’s Day chocolates. But, hold off on waving the white flag just yet. We have a few strategies that may help you find the motivation that’s missing and give you a fresh perspective on your goals.

1. Think small. In order to make successful and sustainable changes that improve your health, you have to think small.  How do you eat? One bite at a time, right? The same principle applies to lifestyle changes. If you have realized that a complete overhaul of your lifestyle was too ambitious and you have fallen back into last year’s unhealthy habits, now is a good time to choose one small habit that you can change and sustain.  It is interesting how one small change leads to another small change, which leads to another small change and the cycle perpetuates itself.

Some simple health goals you can start with are:

  • Drinking at least 2 litres of water daily
  • Walk for 20 minutes, 3 times per week
  • Eat breakfast every day
  • Take your Reliv shake every day (even on weekends)
  • Get at least 6 hours of sleep per night, but preferably 7-8 hours

Pick one change and stick with it until you have created a new habit. Then you can layer on another small change. One of the easiest changes you can make is to take your Reliv nutrition consistently. Long-time Reliv users will tell you that consistency is the key to getting the best results from Reliv products. Results like enhanced energy, better sleep, weight loss, and improved mood positively reinforce your new habit.

2. Be consistent. Consistency is critical to establishing new exercise goals. Many people struggle with making exercise a habit, but research has shown that those who have a workout partner or group are more likely to stick with a workout program and reach their fitness goals.

A study at Stanford University found that simply receiving a check-in phone call that asked about your progress every two weeks increased the amount of exercise participants did on average by 78%. In this study, participants who had received the check-in calls were still exercising at the increased level even after 18 months. Meanwhile, the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University found that couples who worked out separately had a 43% dropout rate, while those who went to the gym together had only a 6% dropout rate.

3. Get a workout buddy. We all know that exercise is usually more fun with a friend. Not only are you more likely to show up for that 6:00 a.m. workout when you know your friend or group is expecting you, but research also shows you will work harder, longer and burn more calories. Exercise partners provide a powerful combination of support, accountability and motivation. Experienced nutrition and fitness professionals agree that the single most important factor to creating long-term health and fitness success is having a support system.

Without my workout partner, Sara, I would bail on half of my planned workouts. It would be really easy for me to hit the snooze button most mornings, but I don’t want to let her down, so I drag myself out of bed and lace up my running shoes. There are many days when neither one of us “feels like working out,” but we show up anyway because we are accountable to each other. She knows my goals and can remind me of them when I am feeling lazy or want to binge on French fries. Sara is a faster runner than me, but I am stronger than her so we each are able to push the other to develop different skills: motivation, accountability and a competitive push. The only thing better is that we are pretty good friends too!

Are you ready for a change? Grab your Reliv shake, call up a friend and get moving.

A Note from Dr. Carl: Stick to Your Healthy Resolutions with Reliv Nutrition
Healthy eating habits go hand-in-hand with exercise when it comes to improving health, losing weight and preventing chronic diseases. Reliv’s nutrition products support all of these health and fitness goals by providing high-quality macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) needed for proper metabolism and energy balance. The Reliv formulas are also optimized with key micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and phytonutrients) that promote sustained energy, build lean muscle, burn fat and reduce inflammation.

To your health,

Dr. Carl W. Hastings
Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer

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