Remembering the rewards of good health is key to keeping resolutions

Good health is related to many factors, and each is connected to the other in some form or fashion. Examples are the desire to lose weight, to be more physically active, reducing stress levels, paying closer attention to diet and everyday lifestyle habits.

Although we all have many opportunities to accomplish our goals, in the end few tend to be successful long term.

Taking a closer look at some strategies for success s a great place to start. Tried and true tips include:

Pinpoint the reasons for your resolutions, and make sure they are in your best interest. An example: If we are trying to be healthier for someone else and not for ourselves, this can slowly backfire over time. Meaningful relationships benefit greatly when good health is in the equation, and can suffer when we don’t take good care of ourselves. But each person is responsible for their own choices, not those around them.

In other words, try to remember how important you are, and typically if you do, you’ll be much more likely to adopt healthy habits naturally as opposed to feeling as if you have to.

During the winter months, motivation to begin exercising or changing diet can feel like an impossibility. Shorter colder days bring with it a change in mood and energy for a great number of people, and it is not uncommon for those folks to resolve to get healthier once spring and/or summer come along.

A major part of finding and staying motivated is knowing there is always a reward for your hard work, and the fact is, the sooner we take that first step the sooner we discover how strong and capable we are. Some of the many rewards associated with better health include increased energy levels, less aches and pains, fewer joint problems, lower disease risk and a renewed sense of well-being.

Be patient with yourself. Even under the best of circumstances, minor setbacks can occur. Instead of letting this get you down, use it as an opportunity to learn what is and isn’t working, and make adjustments by utilizing a pre-set ‘plan B’. An example of this might be waking up with the intent to take a walk.

Looking outside you see that there are icy surfaces that make it unsafe to follow through on your original plan. Your plan B might involve stair climbing, jogging in place, or doing squats and/or lunges.

All of these options work the same muscles as walking, and depending on intensity, might even be more beneficial in terms of strength and endurance. Frame each ‘setback’ as a chance to show your creativity and resolve.

Staying focused on the positive and all that you have accomplished thus far will keep moving toward your desired goal.

There are many ways to help keep you on track. In the next column, more proven strategies for success.