How to Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle:
One Step at a Time
At this time of year, many people promise themselves they’ll change to a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately, promises are usually not enough because we are battling with lifelong, ingrained habits. As a result, most of us fail to effect necessary changes in our lives. Earl Salzman offers advice on turning over a new leaf, for good.
To give ourselves a chance at success in adopting a healthier lifestyle, we need to expand our promises into a comprehensive plan. Let me illustrate some steps that have proven successful with my students and clients.
1. Choose a target behaviour
Choose a target behaviour, a behaviour you want to become part of your life. Since fitness is what I teach and write about, let’s make creating a healthier, more active lifestyle as your target behaviour. Write down your new goal, and why you chose it.
2. Gather reliable information
Gather reliable information to see how a healthier lifestyle will help you. There is plenty out there that is easily accessible via the internet. Conversely, gather information on how continuing a sedentary lifestyle could affect you in the short and long term. The more knowledge you gain, the more powerful and informed your decision to alter your behaviour will be.
3. Set goals
Set a long term goal that states what you ultimately want from your new lifestyle. For example, ‘I will lose 20 lbs. by the first day of spring and will feel great in my summer clothes’. Set short term goals that you can control in order to reach your long term goal. For example, ‘I will strength train three days per week for one hour per session’ and ‘I will walk/run three times per week for 20 minutes per session’. Make all your goals SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time exact. Be sure to make them exciting by asking ‘what will obtaining this goal give me that I don’t have now?’
4. Make a contract
Put your target behaviour and goals into a performance contract. Outline important milestone dates. Sign it and have it witnessed. It’s a lot tougher to break a contract than a vague promise to yourself.
5. Create a timetable
“Too little time” is the most common excuse people give for not engaging in healthy behaviours. To counteract this, make a timetable of your typical day. Analyze how you can create space for your new activities.
It could be as simple as watching less TV or getting up an hour earlier. Make a new timetable that includes your healthy pursuits and stick to it!
6. Involve the people around you
You have much more chance of success if you surround yourself with supportive people. This can be tough. You may have to alter your socializing patterns. It may be difficult to change friends’ and family attitudes, but you need to let them know exactly what you expect, whether it’s praise, physical involvement, or just co-operation. Invite them to join you: there’s power in numbers.
7. Keep a health journal
This is not only a log of your progress, but of your feelings and attitudes. Writing down both positive and negative experiences will help you realize your successes as well as your areas of difficulty. You will be better equipped to alter your program as needed – what’s working, what’s not, instead of giving up and reverting back to the default position of bad habits.
8. Reward yourself
Finally, treat yourself really well. For every milestone you reach, give yourself a treat. Buy clothes, gadgets, nights out on the town. You’ve earned it!
Change is a lifelong process, rather than a quick fix. Healthy habits need to be practised over time to become ingrained for life. Remember that your transformation will not be a linear process, but more like a spiral.
Be prepared for setbacks. You may take two steps forward, and one step back, but don’t be discouraged. Be kind to yourself and learn from each step along the way. You’re worth it!
Earl Salzman is a Markham-based Certified Personal Trainer and educator, providing one-on-one and group training to private and corporate clients. Contact 416-529-7173 or muscleandmusic@rogers.com
2600 John Street, Unit 207, Markham, ON L3R 3W3 T: 905.475.5222 F: 905.475.6369
