Good intentions. Everyone makes them, but few people actually keep them. Now that the new year has started, many people have made their list of good intentions again. But how do you keep them effectively? We will give you a few tips.
Good intentions you can make in terms of health
Replace soda with water
Soda is full of numerous sugars that you better avoid. So try to limit your soda consumption and gradually reduce it. You will soon feel better and gradually lose weight.
Move throughout the day
Of course it is smart to do intensive sports a few times a week if you really want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but you can also do quite a few things throughout the day. Do you have a treadmill at home and do you do desk work? Ideal to walk a few meters (or kilometers) while you do your work. Other examples are regularly stretching your legs and arms, tensing your abdominal and gluteal muscles and doing calf exercises while cooking. PS a thorough house cleaning also ensures the necessary calories burned.
Sports intensive
Many people consider sports as an outlet and a way to stay fit. If you are not sure which sport you really like, you can always take a trial lesson in a specific sport. The more fun you have in your sport, the more you will like it and the faster you will see results.
Also make sure that exercising is fun. Take a daily half-hour walk with your dog or a friend, go to the gym with a friend, take a group class, listen to nice music, play a team sport to be motivated, buy sportswear that you feel good in, etc.
Get up immediately
Do you have the habit of snoozing your alarm clock? Try to break that habit and get up immediately. Snoozing will worsen your sleep quality and leave you feeling lethargic.
Eat more fruits and vegetables
It sounds obvious, but we often forget that vegetables and fruit are full of important vitamins and minerals. Try to reduce carbohydrates such as potatoes and your portion of meat in your meals, so that you automatically add more vegetables. A cookie as a snack can also be better replaced by a piece of fruit. Do you find it difficult to eat enough vegetables and fruit? Then try to process them in a homemade smoothie. Tasty, filling and healthy!
Avoid processed foods
Avoid ready-made meals and snacks as much as possible. They contain quite a lot of extra sugars, fats and preservatives. Better options are fresh vegetables and fruit, lean meat or fish and whole grain products. Nowadays there are many recipes in which you can conjure up a tasty and healthy dish in no time. Do you still find it difficult to cook a fresh meal every day? Then you can do meal prepping.
Eat at fixed times
This way you avoid eating a lot of (unhealthy) snacks and being left with an unsatisfied feeling. It is an easy habit to get into and is quite easy to maintain.
Walk or cycle more often
Of course, it is not always obvious to go on foot or by bike, but try to do it as much as possible. For short distances, this is the ideal solution: it is more environmentally friendly and you avoid traffic jams. Not so sporty? Then go for an electric bike. It is an expensive purchase, but certainly worth the money.
Soak up nature
A walk in nature. Lovely, isn't it? It raises your mood, gives you an energy boost and you move. You don't need more, do you?
Tips to keep your New Year's resolutions
Set achievable and concrete goals
Have you started on your list of good intentions? First think about whether they are feasible and concrete. You can say that you want to lose 10 kilos in 3 months, but is that feasible for yourself and do you know how to achieve it? Make sure you think about this first and write down the steps you are going to take to achieve your big goal.
If you find it difficult to estimate the feasibility of your goals, you can always seek professional help. Discuss it with a doctor, pharmacist or dietician to know how feasible your goal is and what steps you need to take in between.
Personal guidance schedule apply for free
Keep on persevering
To achieve a big goal, there are often obstacles along the way. For example, if you want to change your eating habits, it is normal that you sometimes relapse and that things do not go smoothly. Try to maintain a positive mindset and do not lose courage. A positive mindset and a good portion of self-confidence form a good basis for making a new habit succeed. Make sure that you also write down why you are doing it. If you have a bad day, you can refer back to this and go for it again.
You also shouldn't be too strict with yourself and you should also enjoy your food. You really shouldn't completely push aside your favorite unhealthy dish and you can eat it in moderation.
Motivate yourself
Okay, you are already very motivated, but your physical and social environment must also be suitable. Seek support from your partner, family and friends and change things in your environment. For example, make sure that your sportswear is always visible, hide the cookie box, buy fitness equipment so that you can also exercise at home and bring your water bottle everywhere.
Go for it!
Whatever your goal is, go for it! Don't give up quickly, have a positive attitude towards the new habit you want to learn and take small steps to reach your big end goal.
1 reaction
Top. Mooie motivatie. Goede tips.