It’s easy to get discouraged when you have a big fitness goal, which is why that goal is often broken down to smaller goals you can accomplish quicker. Having small wins is something you can celebrate more often and keep your motivation running high. Every small achievement leads is one more step to your ultimate goal and one more reason to congratulate yourself on a good job.
Some small wins can make a huge difference.
If you’re starting a workout program, but aren’t ready for the gym, start by putting one foot in front of the other, literally. Start walking. It might not seem like much, but walking is a good exercise. You don’t have to walk for a half hour straight, you can break it up into three ten minute walks. As you get fitter, switch out one walking session for a short workout. Before you know it, the small victory of three ten minute walks will have you working out for a half hour a day and far fitter than you were previously.
Eating less at a meal may simply mean eating healthier.
It’s hard to stick with a diet, but you can make it easier. First, focus on healthy foods. Have healthy snacks ready, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, yogurt dip or hummus. If you find you’re grabbing sugary snacks throughout the day, have fruit ready. It can be a small victory to switch out sugary treats for fresh fruit. Nut butter on whole grain or a serving size of nuts can also be planned ahead. You don’t have to change all your eating habits, start with snacks first or make some other small change. Every change you make gets you on the road to a healthier, slimmer you.
Chew your food longer.
It may sound crazy, but chewing longer and focusing more on the food you eat makes a huge difference in how much you eat. Your body has two hormones that control how hungry you are. The first is ghrelin—the hunger hormone, and the second is leptin—the one that makes you feel full. When you eat fast, it doesn’t give your body a chance to send a message to your brain that it’s full, so it doesn’t send out leptin until after you overate. Chewing longer, savoring the flavor and giving your brain a chance to catch up with the body can help you eat less, losing weight without the extra effort. It’s a technique called mindful eating.
- Start your road to a healthy body with a small goal, drinking more water. Not only will water help your body by lubricating joints, making you mentally alert and boosting your energy, it keeps you feeling full. If you don’t like plain water, try infused water.
- While it might not sound like much, cutting out sugar and processed foods is tough. It’s a big goal. Start by cutting out sugar slowly and celebrate every step of the way. Give up your favorite sweet treat first, and then move on to others.
- Small goals and short term plans are important. Not only does accomplishing them boost your motivation, they can help identify other changes you need to make to achieve a healthier you.
- Getting more exercise doesn’t have to mean going to the gym. Simply set a goal to be more active. Start by making sure you don’t sit longer than an hour by getting up and moving, doing some jumping jacks during TV commercials or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
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