How to Keep Up Healthy Habits
Updated February 24, 2022
By Brooke Weber
Well, it’s almost spring! While things may have been challenging this winter, you can now look forward to the new season with renewed hope and personal change.
If you’ve ever made a New Year’s resolution, you’ve probably included something like, “I want to lose weight,” or “I want to eat a healthier diet” on your list. There’s just something about the idea of starting fresh that makes us want to try out some new healthy habits!
But how to make these healthy habits last? It’s easy to say that you’ll exercise more, but it’s even easier to dismiss those healthy activities as soon as you (understandably) get too busy or don’t feel motivated.
Luckily, we’ve put together a guide on how to keep up healthy habits! Read on for our top tips.
1. Write them down
Writing out your goals or even starting a journal can be super helpful to clearly define your aspirations and hold yourself accountable! If you want to eat healthy, try writing something like, “I will eat at least one balanced, plant-based meal a week.” If you’re looking to get active, why not try something like taking a yoga class, or even become a yoga instructor? Since yoga is beneficial for both your mental and physical well-being, it’s the ultimate healthy activity when done in a mindful way. Better yet, why not train to become a children’s yoga instructor? With Pretzel Kids, you’ll get all the benefits of yoga while working towards a tangible goal of getting your kids’ yoga teacher certification in just 12 hours – now that’s a timely and actionable goal!
Set intentions
Why not create healthy habits you care about? Organizing your New Year’s resolutions from most to least important can help you decide where to put your energy. Think about which of your resolutions or intentions you’ve been trying to achieve for a while, or which ones might benefit you the most in the long-run. This is an especially great tip if a lot of your time is taken up with work, school, or taking care of others in your family. Remember, you’re doing this for you, and setting aside some time for the things that are important for your health is a good thing! Focusing on a few top goals will help you incorporate them into your life without the added stress of trying to get so much accomplished at once.
2. Set a routine
Remember, your steps towards achieving goals don’t have to be huge! You can make a big change in your life by taking small steps. For example, pick one day a week to become your plant-based day, or knock off 30 minutes of your yoga teacher training course each day of the week. Here are a couple other suggestions: Bike around the neighborhood every Saturday or during your work-from-home lunch break, or take a walk at the same time every day. It’s all up to you. Once you’ve decided how your new routine will go, test it out and set reminders on the dates and times you’ve chosen. That way, you won’t forget them!
Don’t be too hard on yourself
…But if you do occasionally forget or skip a day, that’s completely okay! You’re still doing a great job, and your goal isn’t a wash by any means. It can be frustrating to think that you’ve got to keep up a regimented plan in order to keep up your resolution, and that just isn’t the truth. Making a habit of acceptance can help you forgive yourself and move on to accomplishing your goals in a realistic way!
3. Reward yourself!
You’ve gotta have some incentive to keep up healthy habits, right? Adding little rewards along the way is super helpful when it comes to motivating yourself. If you and the kids love to play video games, try establishing that you’ll play only after your 30 minute walk. If you’ve just completed a substantial amount of your yoga certification course, give yourself the treat of watching a few episodes of your favorite TV show! The reward is up to you, but know that making healthy habits a part of your life doesn’t mean getting rid of all the fun!
Be mindful
It’s nice to have something to look forward to, and a little discipline is great if you’re determined to make a change in your lifestyle. But, you don’t need to deprive yourself of the things in pursuit of a goal!
4. Get the family involved in healthy activities
Everything is easier when you’ve got a support system! If you’re finding it difficult to achieve healthy habits because your family’s activities are clashing with your own, why not combine the two? Open up the plant-based meal to everyone or take your kids on a short bike ride along with you. This way, your kids will get the same amazing benefits as you and will learn all skills to create long-lasting, healthy habits!
Try out a virtual kids yoga class!
While you’re getting your online yoga teacher certification, why not get the kids involved with yoga too? Pretzel Kids offers virtual yoga classes for all ages. Best of all, many of these online yoga classes are offered weekly, so your children can also develop healthy habits!
Fill your year with yoga!
Whether you’re planning to become a yoga instructor or enrolling your kids in classes, you can make yoga one of your top healthy habits this year! Yoga helps hone self-control techniques, reduces anxiety, improves balance, increases strength and flexibility, and helps you develop mindfulness strategies.
In short, if you’ve ever thought about giving yoga a try, this is your sign to go for it! You can even become a certified yoga teacher online, and turn your newfound healthy habit into a side hustle, part-time gig, or full-time career!
