Here we are, more than a month into 2020 already. I’ve spent a few weeks in Mexico, had two Bone Broth Cleanses in my Intentionally Bare Facebook Group, and appeared at a keto event as a vendor. It’s been a pretty exciting year! I’ve set some pretty hefty goals this year, and I’m well on my way to crushing them.

My goals cover a lot of different areas. While I’ve set some personal and professional goals, I’m definitely working on some goals with regards to my health. Most people call these goals “New Year’s Resolutions.” I hate that phrase for several reasons. First, I don’t like the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. For many people, they tend to be unrealistic; then when we don’t succeed, we punish ourselves. It’s damaging to our self-esteem and our confidence. Next, you can set a health goal at any time. Your goal may be tied to a specific timeline, like losing twenty pounds before your beach vacation, but a health goal doesn’t only have to involve weight loss.

A health goal can encompass many different things. Maybe your goal is to make it up to three flights of stairs without getting winded. Maybe your goal is to run a marathon. Maybe your goal is to beat hypothyroidism or Type 2 diabetes. Perhaps you’re hoping to improve your sports performance or maybe it is all about weight loss. These aren’t “just” New Years’ Resolutions…they’re health goals!

But it’s February, and regardless of your why, you probably did set some health goals in January. It seems like everyone is excited about their health goals that first few weeks. But then a cold sets in, or there’s a foot of snow on the ground, or you stay up late watching a movie and suddenly getting up at 5 am to spend some time on the exercise bike just isn’t happening. When that happens, it can be hard to get back on the wagon. But I’ve put together some tips to help you maintain your new year’s health goals.

Yesterday is….yesterday

Keep telling yourself that yesterday was yesterday. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t get on the exercise bike or if you went off plan. Today is a new day. Do better.

Use positive language with yourself

When I was following traditional diets, I would inevitably fail because they were impossible to stick to long term. Then I would beat myself up. My inner voice would remind me that this was the tenth time I’d failed. Or the hundredth. Whatever.

But keto clicked for me. I have, of course, had moments where I’ve fallen off the plan and times where I consciously chose to go off plan. But even in those moments where I gave in to temptation, I didn’t beat myself up. I said, “Okay, I made a mistake, and I need to move on.”

It can be hard to get to that point in your life. Anyone who has struggled with weight or made multiple New Year’s Resolutions that didn’t pan out is used to hearing that negative inner voice reminding you of your failure. This is where support comes in. Having people to help you change that inner monologue is so very important. If you have a best friend you can call upon for support, that’s great. A personal trainer fulfills that role for many people. There are about 15,000 people waiting to give you support in my Intentionally Bare Facebook group if you need it.

Think about your why

Your why is, well, your why. Whatever led you to make a New Year’s Resolution or health goal is your why. In that moment where you find yourself staring down a French fry, think about your why. If your why is high cholesterol, think about the rewards of getting your cholesterol under control. It could be freedom from medications or a decreased risk of heart attack. What your why is really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you remind yourself of it in those moments when you feel tempted.

Make appropriate plans

Like that saying about failing to plan, not having a plan for meeting your health goals will make it harder to succeed. Are you going to do meal prep for your lunches, or are you going to go out to lunch? Either way, you’ll need a plan for how to handle lunches while you’re out and about. Figuring out what you can eat from a restaurant makes it easier to handle the situation once you’re there; it also reduces that temptation in the moment. You’re less likely to splurge on the onion rings when you’re starving if you’ve already gone over the menu and decided to eat the grilled chicken salad.

Choose physical activity you can stick with

For many people, physical activity is a key component of any health goal. The benefits of exercise go far beyond weight loss. I know that working out is helping me be successful. But it’s important that you start an exercise plan that’s realistic. Someone in my group recently started exercising again after a broken bone resulted in major surgery; she was out of the gym for over a year! She used to kill the treadmill; now, she can barely do a thirty-minute workout. She’ll get back to her previous fitness level soon, but if she pushed herself too far, too soon, she could either injure herself or set herself up for failure-or to hate the gym. Neither of those is going to help her obtain her health goals. If you’ve been sedentary for a while, don’t expect to be able to hit the gym with the same energy you had three, five, or eight years ago. Slow and steady gains win the race; ease yourself into a routine that gradually increases in difficulty. Make sure to adequately fuel your physical activity. Plenty of water and my Intentionally Bare Keto BHBs (US | Canada) will help you make it through!

Most of all, if you find that you’ve slipped off the rails a little bit, remember that it’s normal and natural to do so. The journey to optimum health is not a straight line. If you need some day to day inspiration or reminders for your health goals, be sure to check out my Instagram!

You got this!

Leta

~ Intentionally Bare

❗️ DISCLAIMER:  Health information given here is based on public research and is not meant to take the place of your doctor's advice. Always do your own research and discuss it with your health practitioner before trying a new diet, supplement or exercise plan.

❗️ DISCLOSURE:  I manufacture a line of 100% natural keto products under the brand name, Intentionally Bare. These products will be mentioned from time to time because they are amazingly healthy and fantastic for those on a ketogenic diet or anyone looking to improve their health. I am also a participant in the Amazon services LLC Associates Program, designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.** I ONLY ever post a link to products I personally USE and LOVE!