How to stick to your health goals in 2018

After over indulging during the holiday season many of us set out on a mission to kick start the New Year with a new and improved health and fitness regimen. Coming up with a list of goals is easy, it’s sticking to them that’s the hard part. Below are some tips on how to turn your health and fitness goals into a reality:

Write your goals down

“You must write down your goals in order to understand what’s driving you. Once you become clear of your drivers, the answers on how to achieve them come later”, advises Self-improvement guru Tony Robbins.

Having your goals clearly defined on paper makes them clearer and more concrete, it means you’re one step closer to attacking them. Once you write down your goals, ask yourself ‘what will it take for me to obtain that goal?’ For example, you want to lose 3kgs in the next three weeks. To lose 1kgs a week you would need to exercise more, which might include walking for one hour every day and cutting out your mid-morning mocha and chocolate bar. Writing your goals down helps you develop a clear and attainable course of action.

Create a routine to avoid decision fatigue

Relying on willpower alone won’t help you stick to your goals. If we think of willpower being similar to a muscle, when it gets over worked it becomes tired. Your brain gets tired of too much decision making, causing decision fatigue. This causes your willpower to fade and you can end up making bad decisions.

To avoid this, you simply need to create a routine. Keep your Sunday afternoons or evenings free, meal prep your food and plan out your exercise routine for the week. This automates your actions, and reduces your reliance on willpower.

Keep track of your progress

Like the saying goes ‘slow and steady wins the race’. As we have established it is essential to break your goals down into small attainable parts. It is important to celebrate each milestone you reach, as it’s the feeling of making progress and achieving, that will push you to keep going.

If your goal is to build yourself up to running 5k, check in every 1k you are able to run without stopping, and give yourself a pat on the back. Reward your win. Similarly with losing weight if you weigh yourself every so often and compare your weight loss photos, the sense that progress is being made is a key motivator to keep going.

Keep your energy levels up

It is all well and good having a positive mind set and a determination to achieve your goals but if you have no energy to exercise and are left feeling depleted then you won’t reach your full potential and your goals will fall by the wayside.

Try including Ubiquinol in your diet. Ubiquinol is the active form of Coenzyme Q10, which is one of the most powerful antioxidants found naturally in the body but unfortunately as we age, our natural ubiquinol levels in the body deplete.

Be kind to yourself

Whenever you feel like skipping the gym or binging on junk food- think of your future self and how disappointed they will be in themselves if the current you makes this decision. By thinking ahead and thinking about your goals, you are keeping your best interests at heart.

If you do fall off the wagon and miss the gym for several days in a row one week or have one too many slices of cake at the weekend, don’t let this deter you. That’s okay. You had a slip up but you are making progress. It’s important to focus on the steps you have made. Remember to enjoy the process of leading a healthier lifestyle by exercising more and eating better, as this is a journey not a race.

Speak to your healthcare practitioner to discuss the benefits of Ubiquinol supplementation. Always read the label. Use only as directed.