Losing weight might be a result, but it shouldn’t be the goal. Rather, your goals should small, sustainable things over which you have full control, says NYC-based therapist Paul Hokemeyer. Did you eat five servings of fruits and veggies today? There’s one goal met. What about eight hours of sleep; did you get them in? If so, you can check another goal off of your list.
2. Gravitate to Positivity
“Surround yourself with positive people,” Smerling says. Doing so provides you an encouraging, emotionally healthy environment in which to invest in yourself. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help or support,” says Chicago-based Nike NTC master trainer and run coach Emily Hutchins.
3. Rethink Rewards and Punishments
“Keep in mind that making healthy choices is a way of practicing self-care,” says registered dietitian Laura Cipullo, author of “Women’s Health Body Clock Diet.” Food is not a reward, and exercise is not a punishment. They are both ways of caring for your body and helping you feel your best. You deserve both.
Taking a few minutes at the beginning of your workout, or even at the beginning of your day, to slow down and simply focus on the act of breathing can help you set your intentions, connect with your body and even lower your body’s stress response, Hutchins says. Lie on your back with your legs extended and place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest. Breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold for two and then exhale through your mouth for six, she says. With each breath, the hand placed on your stomach should be the only one to rise or fall.
5. Throw Out the Calendar
“Patience is also important when you are losing weight in a healthy and sustainable matter,” Cipullo says. Plus, if you focus on meeting truly actionable goals, like taking 10,000 steps each and every day, there’s no need to get wrapped up in a timeline of goals ahead. Every 24 hours comes with new successes; focus on those.
6. Identify Your ‘Trouble Thoughts’
“Identify the thoughts that get you into trouble and work to stop and change them,” Hokemeyer says. Maybe it’s your internal dialogue when you look into the mirror. Or cravings when you get stressed. “Consciously make them stop by saying ‘stop’ out loud,” she says. It might sound silly, but that simple action will break your chain of thought and allow yourself the opportunity to introduce a new, healthier one. “The best way to do this is to count from one to 100 as many times as you need until the destructive thoughts subside,” he says.
7. Don’t Step on the Scale
While the scale isn’t intrinsically bad, a lot of us have learned to associate it with self-destructive thoughts and actions. If that’s you, don’t even bother stepping on the scale until you get to a place in which the number on the scale doesn’t define your worth, Hokemeyer says.
8. Talk to Yourself Like You Would a Friend
“When it comes to ideals of beauty and body image, we are incredibly hard on ourselves. The standards we adopt for ourselves are punishing,” he says. And we’d never hold our friends or loved ones to many of those standards. You deserve the same respect and compassion as anyone else; treat yourself like it.
9. Forget the Whole ‘Foods Are Good or Bad’ Mentality
Somewhere along the line, we’ve learned to feel either proud or guilty about every food choice we make. But it’s just food, and you shouldn’t have to feel guilty about wanting the occasional cookie. “Give yourself permission to have a glass wine or a piece of chocolate cake,” Cipullo says. “Remember, all foods fit.”
10. Focus on the Attainable
“If you have never stepped into a gym before, your goal shouldn’t be doing 30 minutes on the elliptical on day one. A better goal may be to go for a 20-minute walk,” she says. “If you want to cook more, but have little experience with healthy recipes or are strapped for time, don’t expect yourself to craft new healthy recipes every night after work. Maybe consider using a delivery service such as HelloFresh or Blue Apron in which pre-portioned ingredients and recipes are sent to your door, helping you to get acquainted with new ingredients, try out new recipes and build fundamental cooking skills.” Start where you are and build from there.
Read more at: health.usnews.com
