How unhealthy are we? According to a recent study, most of us — nearly 100 percent in fact — are failing when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, according to an article in the Washington Post. Whatever happened to those new year's resolutions we make every year — to live a healthier life in the coming year? It's true, many of us make resolutions that can only materialize with a side order of miracles. Some of us shoot for the moon, hoping to look like the younger Arnold Schwarzenegger before year's end. Others have visions of becoming the next Martha Stewart. If you're among those, you have plenty of company, according to Statistic Brain. Their survey shows that 49 percent of us who make resolutions have infrequent success. Then there's the 8 percent who actually make and refuse to break their goals. New Year's resolutions don't have to be completely out of reach. Here are some ways you can stick to your resolutions — or get back on track if you happened to abandon them somewhere along the way. 1. Get support. Have a pound-shedding dream? Add healthy competition and personal cheerleaders to your circle. It will also provide a built-in system for accountability. If everyone in your office knows you want to lose 20 pounds, do you really think they will silently watch you have a chipmunk moment, stuffing donuts in your cheeks? Recruit the help of co-workers, friends, and relatives to help you reach your goals. Better yet, find someone with similar goals and hold each other accountable. 2. Try to achieve consistency. Technology can be your friend in helping you gain a healthier lifestyle. Use your smartphone or a fitness band to set reminders about taking your vitamins and supplements, getting up out of your chair to exercise and other healthy practices. It's a small investment to boost your healthier routine. 3. Set realistic goals. Reset your goals, if necessary. If you're a permanent fixture on your couch cushions, assume that you are probably not in shape to run the mini marathon. Make reachable goals. Walk a half-mile each week. When you can cross that goal off your list, advance to a one-mile weekly commitment, etc. Bask in your accomplishments. 4. Don't throw in the towel too fast. If you swore off sugar but lost your mind in week 11 by devouring a roll of cookie dough in morning traffic, you are not disqualified until next year. Take a breath and begin again. Tell yourself it's for the win. 5. Adding stress to your calendar. If you work 60+ hours a week, avoid making lofty goals about being in the gym before dawn. Every person in the universe requires downtime, even if that time is defined only as 60 minutes on the couch each evening with the remote and a bowl of ice cream. Your rest is just as important as your time on the elliptical machine. Creating a healthier lifestyle means taking care of yourself. Instead of focusing on creating new year's resolutions, maybe consider making lifestyle changes.
Remember New Year's Day - 5 Ways to Resuscitate Your Resolutions
Published by Wonder Laboratories on Apr 6th 2016
How unhealthy are we? According to a recent study, most of us — nearly 100 percent in fact — are failing when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, according to an article in the Washington Post. Whatever happened to those new year's resolutions we make every year — to live a healthier life in the coming year? It's true, many of us make resolutions that can only materialize with a side order of miracles. Some of us shoot for the moon, hoping to look like the younger Arnold Schwarzenegger before year's end. Others have visions of becoming the next Martha Stewart. If you're among those, you have plenty of company, according to Statistic Brain. Their survey shows that 49 percent of us who make resolutions have infrequent success. Then there's the 8 percent who actually make and refuse to break their goals. New Year's resolutions don't have to be completely out of reach. Here are some ways you can stick to your resolutions — or get back on track if you happened to abandon them somewhere along the way. 1. Get support. Have a pound-shedding dream? Add healthy competition and personal cheerleaders to your circle. It will also provide a built-in system for accountability. If everyone in your office knows you want to lose 20 pounds, do you really think they will silently watch you have a chipmunk moment, stuffing donuts in your cheeks? Recruit the help of co-workers, friends, and relatives to help you reach your goals. Better yet, find someone with similar goals and hold each other accountable. 2. Try to achieve consistency. Technology can be your friend in helping you gain a healthier lifestyle. Use your smartphone or a fitness band to set reminders about taking your vitamins and supplements, getting up out of your chair to exercise and other healthy practices. It's a small investment to boost your healthier routine. 3. Set realistic goals. Reset your goals, if necessary. If you're a permanent fixture on your couch cushions, assume that you are probably not in shape to run the mini marathon. Make reachable goals. Walk a half-mile each week. When you can cross that goal off your list, advance to a one-mile weekly commitment, etc. Bask in your accomplishments. 4. Don't throw in the towel too fast. If you swore off sugar but lost your mind in week 11 by devouring a roll of cookie dough in morning traffic, you are not disqualified until next year. Take a breath and begin again. Tell yourself it's for the win. 5. Adding stress to your calendar. If you work 60+ hours a week, avoid making lofty goals about being in the gym before dawn. Every person in the universe requires downtime, even if that time is defined only as 60 minutes on the couch each evening with the remote and a bowl of ice cream. Your rest is just as important as your time on the elliptical machine. Creating a healthier lifestyle means taking care of yourself. Instead of focusing on creating new year's resolutions, maybe consider making lifestyle changes.