Have you been struggling to stick to your “new year, new you” resolutions? You’re not alone; according to U.S. News & World Report, the failure rate for New Year’s resolutions is said to be about 80%. Here are some tips and tricks to help you stay motivated on your healthy journey after the excitement of January has worn off…
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Re-think healthy meals
It’s easy to start the year off with broccoli, brown rice and chicken breast meals after December’s excesses. But after a while it really starts feeling a little uninspiring and like a bit of a chore. And that is when fast food becomes a tempting alternative.
The trick is to keep mixing things up with exciting, tasty and super-healthy recipes like this seafood paella. It’s a winning meal because you can make lots of it for dinner and have the rest for lunch the following day.
Bored of apples and mangoes? Why not try adding some more exotic fruits into your fruit repertoire, like granadilla and blueberries? Think out of the proverbial (lunch) box and you’ll be astonished at all the healthy meals you could make with a bit of creativity and help from the Internet.
ALSO SEE: 10 Healthy Snacks You Should Always Have In Your Kitchen
Take comfort – it takes a while to build a habit
Studies report that, on average, it takes more than two months before a new behaviour becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact. This means you have to make an effort to stick to a new habit or routine for 66 days before it starts becoming an automatic habit.
If you can stick it out for the next couple of weeks, you will find that your journey to better health will become much easier. If going to the gym feels like a chore today, just push through because you may grow to love it in the coming months. In fact, you may not be able to go without it eventually! Stay strong, make the time and stick to the plan.
Be realistic
It’s easy to make decisions from your couch in January. How many times have we all said something like, “I will go for a walk every day” on the 3rd of January? But, by the 20th, the kids are all back at school and life resumes its usual frenetic pace and that resolution can become a distant memory. Rather set realistic goals that you know you can stick to if you allocate the time to it. Don’t beat yourself up for missing a day and rather make a plan to get your body moving the day after.
A healthy journey is all about being flexible, yet disciplined. You can do it!
Visit Flora for more healthy recipes and lifestyle tips.
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