Would you be surprised to know that not even 60 days into the new year and already more than half of those who made a resolution to improve their health and wellness have “failed” or given up? Though there are a number of reasons this could happen, at the top of the list is biting off more than you can chew. Essentially, people mean well when trying to get their health in order, but they try to take on too much too soon and end up folding under pressure. 

When you’ve developed bad habits like eating takeout, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, hiding your emotions, working hard (without taking a break), failing to exercise, or putting the needs of others ahead of your own, it is not always as simple as saying you’re not going to do it anymore to turn over a new leaf. 

With good intentions, people make a decision at the top of the year that they’re going to break those bad habits in an instant and adopt healthier habits to improve their health. They try, but start to realize that old habits die hard. Eventually, they fold under pressure, don’t see the results they were hoping for, and revert back to old ways well before the year gets underway. 

Baby Steps

A better approach would be to take baby steps towards reaching your health and fitness goals for the year. By breaking your goals down into smaller, more achievable tasks, you’ll find that with each passing day it is easier to get where you want to be. Below, are a few examples to consider: 

Bring Snacks to Work

There are lots of sugary, fatty, and salty temptations to eat in the workplace. If you feel yourself getting hungry or thirsty, you can easily head to the vending machine or breakroom and find a bunch of stuff your body really doesn’t need. A small change in the right direction, would be to start bringing healthy snacks to work. Having a piece of fresh fruit, some salted nuts, or veggies and dip can prevent you from packing on those extra calories. 

Drink Tea or Other Beverages

Coffee or sugary beverages like soda or energy drinks are always everyone’s go-to beverage when it comes to getting a boost of energy. The only problem is that too much caffeine or sugar isn’t good for you. Not to mention, these types of beverages can cause the jitters or give you a sugar rush and then a crash that leaves you feeling depleted rather quickly. A small change for the new year would be to switch to tea (which has less caffeine than coffee and tons of health benefits) or other drinks with CBD in them to help give you a boost without the crash, excess calories, or high amounts of sugar. Alternatively, you can seek dental expertise in chattanooga tn for a professional opinion on how to lower your sugar intake to better your oral health.

Shop for Groceries Online

The grocery stores can be very tempting when you’re trying to stay on a healthy diet. There are so many rows and displays of foods that look great and even smell delicious but aren’t the best for you. If you find that you get tempted to purchase the wrong things every time you go shopping, perhaps it would be best for you to buy your groceries online. This way, you’re only shopping for items on your list and aren’t tempted by the items you shouldn’t have. Shopping for your groceries online also means you can keep your pantry stocked so you aren’t tempted to order out. 

Walk 15-Minutes a Day

Getting into a workout routine when you’re not used to it can be challenging. You’re often uninspired to hit the gym or do anything too rigorous. Rather than giving up on your fitness goals altogether, start with something small like walking every day for 15 minutes. Whether you wake up early, walk during your lunch break, or take an evening stroll after dinner, developing this habit of getting up and moving will encourage you to want to do more. Not to mention, walking at a brisk pace can be great for your mental and physical well-being. Doing this for at least a month is sure to give you some results that inspire you to make working out a priority. 

Making the decision to ditch bad habits and improve your health is admirable. Be that as it may, it is not something that happens overnight. As most of these habits took years to develop, it will take time, practice, and patience to overcome them and adopt healthier routines and solutions. That’s why taking baby steps such as those advised above is the best way to get on the right track.