Even if you have failed to achieve the healthy lifestyle you imagined in the past, there is still hope! Failing once, twice, or even three or more times does not mean that you will not be successful in the future. Do not give up and instead, use these tips to set yourself up for success when you begin working towards your new, healthy lifestyle.
1. Why did you fail before?
The first tip is to reflect on why you failed in the past. Think of what you can do differently to prevent the same course of action. For example, maybe you failed in your healthy lifestyle, because you were too hungry to plan and prepare healthy meals for dinner and grabbed fast food instead. Knowing this, you can now make sure you have quick, easy options for when you come home from work too exhausted for planning and preparing a complex meal.
2. What is your plan?
Another important step in successfully attaining a healthy lifestyle is having a plan. Rather than wondering each day what you need to do to stick to your healthy lifestyle, already have a plan, knowing what you need to do each day to be healthy. For some, this plan may include waking up at a certain time to workout before work or meal planning to ensure there are healthy meals ready for the entire week. Find what works for you and stick to it.
3. Who can join you on your healthy lifestyle journey?
Chances are you also know someone who wants to live a healthy lifestyle. Get someone else on board with you, so you can have accountability. Plus, it is fun to have someone to share tips and recipes with as you progress. Consider planning a time each week to meal prep together. This can make time go by faster and your friend may even have some creative recipes that you never knew you’d love!
4. What do you need to know to be successful?
Knowledge is power. Figure out what you need to know to be successful in your healthy lifestyle. For example, you may not even know where to begin with what is “healthy” or “clean” and what is not. Check out this Clean Eating Guide for a great resource to start learning about what you need to live a healthy lifestyle.
5. What are your expectations for yourself?
Set reasonable expectations for yourself to set yourself up for success. For example, remember that there is a learning curve when adapting anything new to your life. This means that you should be forgiving with yourself at the beginning and try to identify the areas where you are struggling, so you can make changes as needed.
6. Will you be able to stick to your lifestyle?
The final consideration you should make when restarting your healthy lifestyle journey is making sure it is sustainable in the long-term. This goes hand-in-hand with setting reasonable expectations for yourself. Do not expect yourself to necessarily eat perfect meals every time. Are you making better choices about your food? Are you mindful of what you are eating? If so, then you are off to a great start and can only improve from there.