Without good health, we simply cannot achieve anything- be it personal goals, professional targets etc. that we have set for this year.
Here are 8 steps we can take to have a happier, healthier year and to make the year, fruitful.
- Understand the concept of healthy lifestyle: You cannot work on becoming healthier without first, having an understanding of the concept of healthy lifestyle. In this article, we explain this concept. Kindly take a read as it will help you to undertake step 2.
- Find a drive and set a target: Finding some compelling reasons to stay healthier as well as setting targets for ourselves will push us to embark on a journey of becoming a healthier you. This is because when there is a compelling reason, humans by nature are driven to do things and we naturally like to achieve targets. Therefore, set your SMART healthy lifestyle goal. E.g. undertake 30 minutes walk everyday after or before work, school etc.
- Develop an action plan: After setting a healthy lifestyle goal, develop a plan of action to help achieve the goal. A goal is only a dream if not backed by concrete actions. Therefore, the need to indicate what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, how it will be done etc. to achieve the health target.
- Keep a journal: Writing down the foods you eat, how you stay active or do not, other lifestyle habits such as getting sleep etc. will help you track the progress you are making or not making in becoming healthier. In the example in Step 1 above, by recording when you take a walk, you will be able to track whether or not you are meeting your 30 minutes target and if you are doing this everyday as you wanted to. A journal will also help you identify any food allergies and or intolerance. Keeping a journal on your healthy lifestyle habit will help you discuss your health with your accountability partner (Step 5 below) and with your health professional, when you visit. Most people find keeping a journal helps them to stay organise and to achieve their goals, in this case your healthier living goals. If you are looking for a suitable journal to undertake this step, place an order for the “Become A Healthier You Journal“
- Get an accountability partner: Living a healthy lifestyle is a journey, and like any other journey, it can be difficult to keep up or maintain the momentum. Getting someone, we trust to act as an accountability partner to push us on our healthier lifestyle journey is very helpful. Remember two is better than one and as the African proverb goes; “if you want to go far, go with someone”. Having someone to remind us and them daily of our healthy lifestyle goals will make it easier to stick with the healthy lifestyle plans or choices we have decided to make. In other words, we need someone to be a scorekeeper.
- Start or Join a health club: A health club is a good place to go when one is looking for encouragement or one will like to know how others maintain healthier lifestyles. You cannot go wrong with a social support system, we all need one. Join the Become A Healthier You community today and find support.
- Discuss health at home: Healthy lifestyle discussions can become part of the conversation at home. In such a discussion, we may look at how to support one another in making healthy choices. It will also be a good period to modify any unhealthy habits and behaviour in the family.
- Look for a nutritionist or a dietitian: Find a professional with whom you can chat concerning your lifestyle choices. With a lot of misinformation and fake information, it is important to find a professional to provide the right information for our health. Let’s connect you to one of our professionals.
So, let’s get started today and be on track to a healthy new year. Those goals/targets set need to be achieved :).
Written and reviewed by: Irene Danquah, ANutr
Last page review: 23/12/2021
Next page review: 31/12/2024