Good intentions. Everyone makes them, but very few people actually keep them up. Now that the new year has started, many people have made their list of New Year's resolutions again. But how do you keep them up effectively? We'll give you a few tips.

Good intentions you can make in terms of health

Replace soft drinks with water

Soft drinks are full of countless sugars that you should avoid. So try to limit your soft drink consumption and gradually reduce it. You will soon feel better and gradually lose weight.

Move through the day

Of course it is smart to exercise intensively 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 desk work? Ideal for walking a few meters (or kilometers) while you do your work. Other examples are regularly stretching your legs and arms, tightening your abdominal and gluteal muscles and doing calf muscle exercises while cooking. P S. a thorough house cleaning also provides the necessary calories burned.

Intensive sports

Many people consider sports as an outlet and a way to keep 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 walk of half an hour with your dog or a friend, do sports with a friend, take a group lesson, listen to fun music, play a team sport to be motivated, buy sportswear that you feel good in. in feels and so on.

Get up immediately

Do you have a habit of snoozing your alarm clock? Then try to unlearn that and get up immediately. Snooze deteriorates your sleep quality and you are left with a sluggish feeling.

Eat more fruit and vegetables

It sounds obvious, but we often forget that fruit and vegetables are packed with important vitamins and minerals. Try to reduce carbohydrates such as potatoes and your portion of meat with your meals, so that you automatically add more vegetables. You can also replace a biscuit as a snack with a piece of fruit. Do you find it difficult to eat enough fruits and vegetables? Then try using them in a homemade smoothie. Tasty, filling and healthy!

Avoid processed foods

Avoid ready-made meals and snacks as much as possible. It contains a lot of extra sugars, fats and preservatives. Better options are fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat or fish, and whole grains. Nowadays there are already many recipes in which you conjure up a tasty and healthy dish in no time. Do you find it difficult to cook a fresh meal every day? Then you can do meal prepping.

Eat at set times

In this way you avoid eating a lot of (unhealthy) snacks and being left with an unsaturated feeling. It is an easy habit to learn and quite easy to maintain.

Go more often on foot or by bicycle

Of course it's not always obvious to go on foot or by bike, but try to do it as much as possible. This is the ideal solution for short distances: it is more environmentally friendly and you avoid traffic jams. Not so sporty? Then go for an electric bicycle. It is an expensive purchase, but well worth the money.

Sniff up nature

A walk in nature. Delicious right? It raises your mood, gives you an energy boost and you move. That's all you need right?

Tips for sticking to your resolutions

Set achievable and concrete goals

Have you started your list of resolutions yet? 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 that? Make sure you think about this first and write down the steps you will take to reach your big goal.

If you find it difficult to estimate the feasibility of your goals, you can always call in professional help. Talk to a doctor, pharmacist or dietitian to find out how achievable your goal is and what steps you need to take in between.

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Keep going

To achieve a great goal, there are often obstacles along the way. If you e.g. want to change your eating habits, it is normal that you sometimes relapse and it does not all run smoothly. Try to keep a positive mindset and don't just let the courage down. A positive mindset and a good portion of self-confidence form a good basis for a new habit to succeed. Make sure you also write down why you are doing it. Then if you have a bad day, you can go back to this and go for it again.

You shouldn't be too hard on yourself and you should also enjoy your food. You shouldn't completely put aside your favorite unhealthy dish and you can eat it in moderation.

Motify 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 in sight, hide the cookie box, buy fitness equipment so that you can also exercise at home and bring your water bottle with you everywhere.

Go for it!

Whatever your goal is, go for it! Don't give up quickly, have a positive attitude towards your new habit that you want to learn and take small steps to reach your big goal.