Are you planning to start living a healthier life? We’ve all been there. And many of us know that despite the good intentions, it’s often easier said than done. Luckily there are mental tools that can help you stick to your plans.
Focus on the why
Old habits die hard, and after a while it can be easy to fall back into your old lifestyle. The first step to creating a lasting life change is to make it clear to yourself why that specific change is important. Understanding the deeper values of your goals will make it much easier to stay motivated and committed.
Set SMART goals
Specific changes are easier to stick to than fluffier ones. SMART is a mental hack that helps you stay focused and motivated by setting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound.
- Specific
Just stating that you want to do more exercise may sound fine, but what does it really mean? By setting a specific goal you’ll know exactly what to accomplish. - Measurable
By making your goal measurable you’ll be able to track your progress, which helps you stay motivated. Also, you’ll know when you’ve reached your goal and are ready to set a new one. - Attainable
Unrealistic goals kill motivation. Instead set goals that are hard to reach but still within your limits. That way you are constantly motivated to push yourself. - Relevant
Only goals that matter to you will feel worth working hard for. So forget what other people think and set goals that are relevant to you on a personal level. - Time-bound
By putting a target date on your goal you’ll make it easier to keep prioritizing it in your daily life.
For example, instead of just planning to start doing strength training, a SMART goal would be to promise yourself to do strength training for 30 minutes on Mondays and Thursdays, starting tomorrow for the next four weeks.
Take baby steps
Making changes can feel overwhelming. But small wins along the way will help you feel that you’re moving forward. Therefore, set smaller, achievable goals and make them a little more ambitious every time you reach one.
Running a marathon may seem unachievable, but if you start by challenging yourself to run 5 kilometers without a stop, then 10 kilometers and so on, some day that marathon will be within reach.
Remember your diet
Mind and body are closely connected, and by eating healthier you’ll feel more motivated to exercise. At the same time, a healthy diet will support your body to get the most out of your physical exercise.
A healthy diet should provide your body with all the nutrients it needs and typically includes foods like cereals, vegetables, fruit and animal products like meat and milk. When training or trying to lose weight, it can be beneficial to pay extra attention to your protein intake, since proteins help your body build and maintain your muscles and bones.
Take this quick test to find out how much protein you need every day. (link: https://wheyforliving.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-do-i-need/)
Whey protein is a preferred protein source for strength training, as it stimulates muscle protein synthesis to a greater extent than other protein sources[1]. Furthermore, it‘s known to aid muscle recovery[2]. And if one of your goals is to lose weight, whey protein can also be beneficial since it increases your feeling of satiety[3] and helps you maintain lean body mass during weight loss[4].
On top of that, a whey shake can serve as a great in-between meal, when you are on the move or having a busy day. And it’s a budget-friendly way to ensure you get enough protein at the end of the month.
In this informative video, Professor Leigh Breen from the University of Birmingham explains a handful of the most important benefits of whey protein. (link: https://wheyforliving.com/nutrition/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-protein/)
References
[1] Churchward-Venne et al 2012
[2] Hansen et al 2015; Knuiman et al 2019
[3] Akhavan et al., 2010; Chungchunlam et al. 2017
[4] Hector et al., 2015; Frestedt et al., 2008