Going on a Health Kick? Avoid These Pitfalls!

Ready to get up off the sofa and get out of the rut you’re in? Know that you need to make positive changes with your health? That’s great! But before you get started there are a few things to know first, here are some pitfalls people often face when starting a healthy lifestyle which can limit their success.

BEING UNREALISTIC

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they start a new health regime is to set unrealistic goals. If you state that you want to lose three stone in a month for example, you’re going to be disappointed when that doesn’t happen! If you say you’re going to hit the gym six days a week, if you end up missing one day you’ll feel like you’ve failed and could lose the motivation to go completely. Of course, set goals and try to stick with them as best you can. But be realistic. If you know you’ll struggle cutting junk food out completely, maybe you could allow yourself one treat meal a week which would help you stay on track. Don’t expect that you’ll start a healthy living plan and notice spectacular differences in the way you look or your performance right away, these things take time and dedication. Know from the beginning what it will take to get to where you want to be and dont be under the illusion that it will be easy or quick.

DOING TOO MUCH TOO SOON

When you’re ready to get out of a rut and start making changes, it’s easy to go in all guns blazing. It’s good to make the most of that initial motivation, but be careful. If you’ve been sedentary for years, trying to run a marathon is likely going to lead to injury. You’ll then spend months in physiotherapy before you can get back out there again. Start small, walk before you can run. Build it up, and be sure to take your doctor’s advice if you have any health conditions. Exercise is so good for you, but get it wrong and you could really end up hurting yourself.

NOT CONSIDERING HEALTH AS A WHOLE

Health is about so much more than eating your greens and going to the gym. It’s about getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, finding time to relax and looking after yourself in general. It should be a lifestyle change, not just a quick fix so that you look good in a bikini or to reach a certain number on the scale. If you focus not on what you have to lose when you live healthily (junk food, alcohol, late nights etc) but instead on what you have to gain, you’re much more likely to stick it out. Think of the fun new activities you’ll try to keep fit, the healthy and tasty recipes you’ll make, how much better you’ll sleep and how much better you’ll feel. Healthy living isn’t a punishment, it should be extremely enjoyable!

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