As 2023 approaches, now is a great time to start thinking about new health-related goals and changes you can make to live a happier and healthier lifestyle. Making sustainable change is a process that takes time, dedication, and most of all—patience! Adopting healthier habits today can help protect you from serious health issues like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and more. Here are some strategies that can help you develop a lifestyle change plan that will work best for you.
FOCUS ON THE WHOLE PICTURE
Your physical, mental, and emotional health all work together to make or break lifestyle changes. Consider essential items for well-being such as sleep, water, stress, nutrition, and exercise when creating your plan.
SET REALISTIC AND ACHIEVABLE GOALS
Start with smaller, realistic goals and slowly build on them. This will help you maintain momentum and stay motivated. The SMSC has great resources available for setting health-related goals from practitioners at the clinics to personal trainers at Dakotah! Sport and Fitness.
CREATE DAILY STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE GOALS
Build movement into your day that fits your health-related goals. Plan fun activities that you can look forward to that will also help you achieve your goals.
MAKE HABITS THAT YOU CAN KEEP
You’re not always going to be highly motivated, so it’s important to build habits that you can sustain even when you aren’t on a “health kick.” Try swapping out junk food for healthier options or going for a walk in your free time.
ADOPT NEW HABITS SLOWLY AND BUILD ON SUCCESS
This process takes time. It’s important to be patient and kind with yourself. The fastest way forward isn’t always the smartest way forward. The goal is to build sustainable healthy habits into your everyday life. So, start small and take things one day at a time, until you start to feel comfortable in your new routine.
IDENTIFY OR FIND A SUPPORT SYSTEM
Find someone who is committed to your process and can help keep you accountable. For example, attending group fitness classes can help you feel supported.
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
Keeping track of your progress is important to finding success. By recording your efforts, you can see how far you’ve come and how far you have to go. Try keeping a health journal to track your progress and to identify areas that may need more work.
IDENTIFY YOUR “WHY”
Finding your reason “why” is one of the best things you can do if you want to make a lifestyle change. Discover your deepest goal and why it’s important to you. Then, use that reason to stay motivated and positive during the process!
For more help with making healthy lifestyle changes, take a look around the smscwellness.org and get signed up for a health and wellness program. The SMSC offers programs that can help with physical activity, nutrition, mental health, stress reduction, weight loss, and more. Just remember, o
