3 Realistic, Healthy Habits, to Aid With Successful New Year's Resolutions -
Now’s the Time: 3 Realistic, Healthy Habits To Aid With Successful New Year’s Resolutions
On average, studies show that it takes about 66 days for a new habit to become ingrained as routine. That said, January 17th has grimly been marked the day that most people – as many as 60 percent – give up on their New Year’s resolutions and slip back into their old ways. For some, resolutions aren’t planned out enough, so they’re not set up for success from the beginning. Others have trouble getting on track again after a hurdle, like muscle strain, presents itself.
With a majority of New Year’s resolutions centered on getting active, losing weight or some combination of the two, there are some simple adjustments you can make this year to sidestep that mid-month backslide. If you’re looking for a solid way to keep up with your resolution, check out our three realistic healthy habits you can incorporate to stick to your fitness goals and enjoy a happier new year ahead.
- Like the classic rock song says, take it easy.
It may seem strange to start off a list of resolution-strengthening advice by telling you to slow down, but it’s true what the old adage says: Slow and steady wins the race. In your first weeks, ease into your new routine to help prevent burnout and increase your chances of sticking with it.
If your goal this year is to run a half marathon, but you haven’t run in years (or ever), you could try starting out with a couch-to-5k goal for the month of January. It’s good to push yourself beyond your comfort zone – but when you take on too much too fast, it can spell disaster.
Extra tip: If your resolution involves taking up running, don’t forget to use an effective chafe prevention product. You’d be surprised where chafing can pop up – everywhere from your thighs to your chest!
- Drink plenty of water to maximize your workouts.
When you feel thirsty, you’re actually already dehydrated. Oops. Staying hydrated should be a crucial part of your everyday routine. That’s especially true when you’re working exercise into your day and losing lots of water from sweating. You should plan to drink around 20 ounces of water a couple of hours before your workout, but pay attention to heat and humidity conditions, because you may need more to keep hydrated. Believe it or not, proper hydration keeps you powered throughout your workouts … and without it, it’s easy to feel sluggish, exhausted, or even ill.
Worried about all that water turning into pesky, stubborn water weight? Consider using a workout enhancer to increase sweat in hard-to-target areas like your abs, arms and thighs.
- Have a plan in place for minor pain management and relief.
If your body has grown accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle, you can expect to face some minor discomfort, aches and sore muscles as you introduce more and more activity. Unfortunately, many people don’t have a plan in place to manage these pains, leading to continued stress on the body and multiple days resting and recovering. And when you take extended breaks from exercising, it becomes that much more tempting to throw in the towel.
Don’t let tired muscles knock you out of the game! With the help of a pain reliever cream for quick and effective pain relief, you can treat and manage those aches in between workouts.
While these three tips won’t guarantee success in your New Year’s resolutions (that part’s up to you!), it can go a long way in avoiding some common pitfalls and minimizing your obstacles along the way to reaching that habit-forming mark. If, one week into the new year, you find yourself saying that you’ll start hitting the gym for sure next week, try approaching your resolutions with these good habits, and see the difference for yourself.
It might feel daunting now but sticking with your resolution until it’s second nature will happen before you know it. And at this time next year, who knows? Breaking these habits could feel as difficult as it feels to form them this year! But, with a little perseverance and the right toolkit, everyone can succeed.