Have you ever noticed that you can always find a reason to put off ’til tomorrow what you can do today? This is especially true when it comes to starting a new healthy lifestyle. Maybe you have a girls trip coming up, an anniversary to celebrate, a birthday party to attend, or it’s Wednesday and you prefer to wait until Monday to be healthy. What ever the excuse may be that you use to rationalize procrastinating the start of your new healthy lifestyle, I’m here to tell you to cut it out! There is absolutely no reason for you to delay your personal health and wellness. After all, today is the first day of the rest of your life!
Here are three tips to help you start your new healthy lifestyle today!
Tip #1: Be Honest With Your Self: Honesty is the best policy. If you fall under the category of “excuse maker”, you need to own up to it if you have any hope of making a change. Once you can admit that you are making excuses to delay your new healthy lifestyle, you will be able to move forward and do what you have to do in order to get started today!
Tip #2: Make a Plan: I’m a big fan of making a plan. If you have a plan in place, you are one step ahead of the game in terms of getting started on your personal quest for health and well ness. Your plan will need to address both exercise and nutrition. Devising a plan for yourself will create structure, bring about discipline, and lay the foundation for your new healthy lifestyle.
If you recently decided to embark on your new healthy lifestyle but you have a trip planned with the girls for example, don’t wait until you get back to start. Instead, start today and call ahead to the hotel to see if they have a gym. If the answer is yes you’re all set. If the answer is no, ask if there is a gym nearby that they can recommend. Most gyms allow you to pay a visitor’s fee for the day. A park is a great place to get your workout in as well. You could also bring an exercise video or dvd and workout in the comfort of your hotel room. A quick call to your hotel will provide you with all the information you need to make your exercise plan. You most likely will be getting an early start to your day in order to fit your workout in, but think of all the energy you’ll have for the rest of the day!
The second part of your plan is nutrition related. Most people tend to throw caution to the wind and go hog wild in terms of food because they are on “vacation.” This can lead to a lot of guilt upon the return home and the dreaded task of working off those extra pounds. Instead, make a plan to make smart choices for your meals while you’re away. You may even want to pack some healthy snacks from home for your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. Most restaurants provide an array of healthy options these days and you can always make amendments to menu items in an effort to eat healthy. Most eating establishments are willing to grant your requests. Then decide when, where, and how you would like to indulge in your cheat meal during your trip. Not cheat meals, not cheat days, but cheat meal! You’ll feel much better on your return home in that you practiced self control!
Tip #3: Execute, Execute, Execute: There is no sense in having a plan if you don’t execute it. Make the decision to start your new healthy lifestyle today, make a plan, and then execute it! Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you for it!
