Everyone can relate to challenging health and fitness goal. But as mothers, the challenge can seem even more difficult because we tend to put everyone else’s needs before ours.
And yet, you cannot keep putting these goals at the backend, especially if you are waking up every day slightly more miserable than yesterday because you aren’t happy with yourself.
It takes discipline, even more than motivation, to achieve your health and fitness goals, especially if you have failed many times before. However, if you are ready to finally do something, then the following points can empower you and arm you with the right ways you can get to the other side.
1. Stop thinking about your past mistakes
Although you might have lost count of the number of times you tried to achieve your fitness goals, you shouldn’t let your past mistakes stop you from trying again. Understand what you did wrong and what your weaknesses are, so you can do it right this time around.
2. Draw it out
Don’t just tell yourself that you are going to change, instead, draw out your goals on a chart and put it up somewhere in your home where you can see it every day. Make sure your goals are clear, the to-dos are listed and a progress section is also drawn, so you can see how you are changing in real time.
3. Tell someone
Zen Habits author Leo Babauta is known for his life-changing articles. In one of them, he emphasizes on the importance of telling someone before you start your new lifestyle journey. When you do this, you will have someone to keep you accountable and if you deviate from your goal, then you will have to give that person a reward.
4. Change everyone’s habits
This may be your health journey but it will be easier to achieve your goals if you change everyone’s habits. Cook healthy meals for everyone, not just for yourself, and get your kids to exercise with you through indoor activities or by walking to run errands, instead of using the car. This way, you can’t use your kids as an excuse not to eat healthy or not to exercise.
5. Find the best approach to deal with food
This is a tricky step, especially if you love food, so be sure to find something you can work with, instead of depriving yourself and then bingeing when it gets tough. Go for a specific diet and follow its guidelines, opt to eat everything but keep the portions small; find a professional to guide you or download a calorie counter app. There are many options here, so choose the one that best suits your lifestyle.
6. Find a workout you love
Don’t run if you hate running because you will eventually stop doing it. Instead, choose an exercise you love and prioritize it. There are countless ways you can workout. You can do yoga to strengthen your core and alleviate stress or you can hike with your kids. You can even use your baby as a workout tool, so you have no reason to skip out on this.
We tend to look at goals as added challenges to an already busy and stressful life but if we start looking at our goal as a lifestyle change, then we can see this journey as a new way of leading our life, not as a phase. Still, even if it is a lifestyle change, the transition doesn’t have to turn our world upside down. This means that taking baby steps and setting tiny rewards is far better than changing drastically without a solid plan.
This article is a contribution from Cassie Brewer.
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