A Healthier Lifestyle One Day at a Time: A Positive Attitude

Moving toward a healthier lifestyle involves daily choices, efforts, and actions. A holistic plan for a helathy lifestyle involves not only a healthy diet and regular exercise, but it also includes a mental component. The body and mind are intricately connected, and maintaining a positive attitude can be key in developing and living a healthier life.

Inner conversations can easily become negative, viral, and even nuclear as negative patterns tend to repeat themselves and spiral out of control. That slight backslide in one's personal plan to become healthier can easily snowball into an about face down the wrong path at full steam ahead.

In addition, one's inner thoughts can easily look at other people and one's circumstances with a negative light while placing blame for one's own misery on these external forces, effectively paralyzing one's ability to move forward.

Here are some specific, practical tips for achieving a positive attitude, including how to:

1. Recognize who is in charge of your attitude
2. Identify your strengths
3. Write and reflect on your strengths
4. Learn from others
5. How to get back on track if problems occur

Recognize Who is in Charge of Your Attitude

The only person responsible for my attitude is me.

The sooner one comes to that realization, the sooner one can move past wasting time criticizing oneself or others and begin to make positive steps toward one's goals. Pick up the pieces and work the puzzle – it may not have the shape of the original piece of art, but the finished product is likely to have more character and wisdom than the previous one.

Learn positive and specific strategies for interpersonal relationships. Recognize unhealthy tendencies, such as being too dependent on others or refusing help from other people, and begin to use positive communication skills when speaking with friends, family members, co-workers, and with others online.

Identify Your Strengths

Everyone has strengths. Some are obvious. Others may be subtle.

The first step in developing a positive attitude is to identify one's strengths. Create a list of positive adjectives that describe you, such as:

• Creative
• Funny
• Thoughtful
• Honest
• Punctual
• Hard-working
• Detail-oriented
• Strong
• Caring
• Persistent

Update this list as needed.

If you are having trouble identifying any good qualities in yourself, ask a trusted friend or family member to identify some of your strengths and use those for the following exercises. You may or may not agree with what that other person thinks, but perhaps that person may be able to identify your strengths better than you can at the moment.
Write and Reflect on Your Strengths

Write a positive statement yourself on small notecard or piece of paper. For example:

• I am an amazing, funny, fun-loving woman.
• I am a strong, dedicated, hard-working man.

Blank Printable Personal Affirmation Cards

Feel free to print the blank affirmation cards here in this article while personalizing them to suit your needs. You might want to add colors, pictures, fun fonts, or anything else that may catch your eye that will help make this affirmation attractive and personal for you.

Take another piece of paper and fold it in half, ensuring that it is now slightly larger than the above piece of paper. Staple the affirmation to the folded piece of paper on the right and left sides, leaving the open end at the top.

Each time you do something that agrees with your positive statement, write it down on a small piece of paper and place it in the pocket. After a week, take out these examples and read them, reflecting on these actions that support your postive traits.

Learn From Others

Many resources are available that are full of positive and uplifting information. A song's lyrics may make you stand a little taller. An inspirational quote might give tough times in your life a more realistic perspective.

Make a list of what inspires you, such as:

• Songs
• Books
• Articles
• Quotes

Search for additional uplifting ideas and items to add to the list through a variety of sources such as:

• Tips from one's own personal heroes
• Online resources
• Print resources
• Radio
• Yoga or other mind/body classes
• Support group

Make a commitment to read, listen to, reflect on, and study the above items each day at a designated time or times. For example:

• If you wake up ten minutes earlier to do this, you may find that you may be able to meet the day's trials with a more positive attitude.
• If you decide to reflect on these items fifteen minutes before going to bed, you may find that you may rest with a more positive attitude.
• If you commit to spending five minutes on your lunch break doing this, you may find that you are more productive and peaceful at work.

How to Get Back on Track if Problems Occur

If you find old, negative thinking creeping back into your lifestyle, assess what happened and determine any trends, such as:

• Time of day
• Place
• Interactions with a certain person or people

If you can identify a pattern, be aware of that so that you can make appropriate plans and determine which options are available, such as avoiding that situation in the future or being extra cautious if these are situations that are necessary in your life and cannot be avoided.

Some people may need the assistance of a healthcare provider, counselor, medication, and/or therapy in order to move toward positive lifestyle habits, including adopting a positive attitude. Anyone who feels that he or she could cause harm to him or herself or others should seek care and follow the advice of her or her healthcare provider.

Having inner peace can be a beautiful, life-transforming day-to-day choice that can leave you feeling more energized, happier, and may lead to a healthier and more productive lifestyle.

Health Effects of a Thankful Attitude and Practical Tips for Being Grateful

Health Effects of Gratitude

As many in the United States are celebrating Thanksgiving today, I began to reflect on how being thankful might play a role in improving health. Can an attitude of gratitude help one enjoy a healthier lifestyle? How might we incorporate being grateful into our daily lives?

Study Results Looking at the Benefits of Gratitude

Numerous studies have found that being grateful may improve one's health. If people choose to be thankful, they may enjoy more positive emotions, improve approaches to adversity, and build better relationships. Gratitude may create an environment in which we become better connected to other people, nature, or experience a more meaningful spiritual relationship with a higher power.

A study by Dr. Emmons and Dr. McCullough at the University of Miami divided participants into three different groups. Each group was directed to write a few sentences each week regarding events that had happened that week: one wrote about things for which they were grateful, another about the week's irritations, and the third about events without a directive to remain positive or negative. Results of the study found that the group that focused on being grateful enjoyed a more optimistic attitude and tended to feel better about their lives. The thankful group also exercised more and enjoyed fewer doctor visits than the group that focused on aggravations.

Additional studies found similar positive results related to adopting a thankful attitude. People who take the time to give thanks may also eat a healthier diet and seek regular physical examinations. They may have better methods of coping with stress and may tend to be more optimistic. Optimism is associated with improved immune function.

Dr. Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania led a study in which subjects were instructed to write and personally deliver a thank you note to someone whom had never been properly thanked for a kindness. Happiness scores were significantly higher for the thankful group when compared to the control group with resulting positive effects lasting a month.

Studies looking at relationships found that couples who consciously express gratefulness for one's partner felt more positive about him or her. Interestingly, those same people also felt more comfortable expressing concerns about the relationship, perhaps leading to a deeper, more genuine connection.

University students who had trouble falling asleep because they were bombarded with thoughts before bedtime found that a daily gratitude intervention helped them to quiet their minds and sleep better. Those interventions were administered via email.

One study looked at subjects who had heart failure without symptoms. Results indicated that gratitude and spiritual well-being were associated with better mood, better sleep, and less fatigue. Subjects who reported gratitude and spiritual well-being also tended to have stronger beliefs in their ability to complete tasks and reach goals.

Another study at the University of Pennsylvania looked at work relationships. Both study groups were asked to solicit donations from alumni. The director of the campaign specifically told one group that she was grateful for all of their efforts before starting the campaign. The group that was thanked made 50% more calls than the group that did not receive the pep talk, indicating that employees who are thanked may work harder than those who are simply expected to work without any recognition.

Perhaps one important concept to becoming more grateful is to turn one's attention from self, which may lead to feelings of despair and depression as a response to challenging life circumstances, to focusing on others, which may lead to feelings of hope. As we begin to share our feelings of gratitude for what others have done for us, others might also express thankfulness for something we have done. Perhaps being grateful is a win-win situation.

Tips for Living a Thankful Life

Thank others

• Write thank you notes. Taking the time and effort to write a personal note, get a stamp, and mail it may make the thank you more meaningful.
• Thank people in person or on the phone. Be sincere.
• Begin to notice all the things we might take for granted and give specific credit to those people who are instrumental in helping us - this might be things the person currently does or things he or she did in the past.

Utilize additional ways to express thankfulness

• Write a journal of thankfulness. The journal does not have to be fancy - a small notebook or computer document will suffice. A few sentences each week might be associated with positive benefits lasting longer than a week. If you have trouble sleeping due to racing thoughts, try writing an entry in your gratefulness journal each night before bedtime.
• Draw a thankfulness picture, using an art style that appeals to you.
• Write poems about being thankful. Explore different poem styles.
• Sing songs that focus on being thankful.
• Write things for which you are thankful on pieces of paper and place them in a box or jar. You might refer to these during tough times or review them on a regular basis, perhaps at the end of a season or year.

Mentally give thanks

• Offer specific prayers of thanks.
• Incorporate a mindset of looking at the present moment in order to discover something for which we are thankful, incorporating various senses and remembering past blessings during those times when being thankful does not come naturally.

Additional Articles

• A Healthier Lifestyle One Day at a Time: A Positive Attitude
• Words of Encouragement for People who Struggle with Weight
• How to Get Motivated to Exercise: Internal and External Personality Types

Sources

• Digdon, N. and Koble, A. (2011), Effects of Constructive Worry, Imagery Distraction, and Gratitude Interventions on Sleep Quality: A Pilot Trial. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 3: 193–206. doi: 10.1111/j.1758-0854.2011.01049.x
• Heubeck, Elizabeth, Boost Your Health With a Dose of Gratitude, WebMD article accessed on 11/26/2015.
• Miller, Michael Craig MD, The Mental Health Benefits of Gratitude, Harvard Commentaries on Health (Aug 2013).
• Mills, Paul J. et. al., The Role of Gratitude in Well-being in Asymptomatic Heart Failure Patients, Integrative Medicine 14.1 (Feb/March 2015): 51.

Words of Encouragement for People who Struggle with Weight

Encouragement for People who Struggle with Weight

Have you worked for years to lose or gain the same pounds again and again? Do you struggle to make and achieve fitness goals? Have you tried diet and/or exercise plans that seem to work for others but miserably fail for you? Are you discouraged and feeling like giving up? Do you feel like Clark Griswold after spending countless hours stringing Christmas lights only to be ridiculed by others?

You are not alone.

Fitness is a lifelong pursuit, but it is a difficult road for many of us. Although I am a group exercise instructor, I have struggled with my weight for most of my life. I'll admit I have cried when shopping for clothes at times. I have been asked when I was expecting when I wasn't and voiced responses to concerns about my size even when I was a normal weight because people thought I was underweight.

I haven't gone to the double-blind research studies to give citations on this blog post. I haven't spent hours researching the topic. I've simply survived. I have found many things that haven't worked for me. I've seen too many people drop out of exercise classes due to discouragement, frustration, and the feeling that their exercise efforts are not making a difference.

Here are a few words of encouragement for any of you who struggle to lose or gain weight.

#1 Don't let a number on a scale define your worth.

Perhaps your size might dictate what size clothes to purchase or what size seat would be comfortable, but your weight does not determine who you are. If you are tempted to beat yourself up because you feel that you are worthless, shift your gaze to how you treat other people and how you treat yourself. You are unique, special, and you have something to offer the world and yourself. Discover your own personal passions and begin to spend time developing those skills and sharing your gifts with others.

#2 If others treat you badly because of your size, that is their problem...not yours.

Sometimes life is not fair. You might be passed over for opportunities because of your appearance, but those people will probably never acknowledge that attitude. You might be tempted to withdraw due to looks or gestures that other people make in your direction, but try to realize that those people are probably carrying around quite a bit of their own mental baggage. Don't let other people's negative attitudes create a negative attitude in you. Look for and nurture friendships with people who like you for who you are. Everyone can benefit from genuine compassion.

#3 Give yourself permission to be human while treating yourself with respect.

It is hard for other people to like you when you do not like yourself. Do what it takes to find something good about yourself and refuse to treat yourself disrespectfully. Many of us are tempted to treat ourselves much worse than we would treat our worst enemy. Try healthy outlets such as writing, relaxing, exercising, drawing, painting, playing an instrument, singing, etc. If you struggle with depression and self-destructive behaviors, explore options with your healthcare provider and be open to his or her suggestions.

#4 Develop a plan for the future.

Set goals that are achievable, specific, and dated. Goals might be as simple as "I am going to smile three times a day for the next week" or "I will walk 20 minutes/day for five days/week this month." Write it down and develop a way to evaluate how you are doing. Make a back-up plan, not because you plan to fail but because you want to create a plan for getting right back on track and moving forward if you slip. If you have focused solely on pounds in the past, consider other measurements or simply focus on personality goals – you might find that if you care for your inner self and see improvement in other areas that you might then be able to focus on and achieve other goals. Evaluate the plan, make revisions, and continue to move forward realizing that even if you make mistakes, learning from those mistakes can be a move in the right direction.

A physician might be able to offer options that you might not realize are available and may discover issues that might be triggering the weight fluctuations. If you are having trouble with weight gain or loss, it may be helpful to make an appointment with your healthcare provider to discuss concerns.

I am as imperfect as they come and do not have all of the answers, but I do care. Hang in there and never give up.

Readers might also wish to read:

• How to Talk With Your Doctor – Tips for Effective Communication
• Does Sleep Play a Role in Weight Gain and Weight Control?
• How to Get Motivated to Exercise: Internal and External Personality Types
• A Healthier Lifestyle One Day at a Time: A Positive Attitude

Find more of Katrena's articles at the Fit Tips 4 Life site map.

Standing Yoga Exercises to Strengthen the Core and Improve Balance

This set of exercises incorporates yoga positions to strengthen the center, or core of the body and improve balance. As with any change in one's exercise routine, consult with your healthcare provider first to determine which positions and exercises are safe and preferred for your unique needs.

As you hold each position, avoid holding your breath and only stretch to the point of being comfortably challenged. Breath deeply about 4-6 times before moving to the next position. After completing the sequence, repeat the entire sequence on the other side, modifying any position as needed.

If using a yoga mat, you might wish to step off the mat for positions 8, 9, and 10 as balancing on a hard surface may be easier. Many people find that removing one's shoes to practice yoga is preferred, but check with your healthcare provider if you have any issues or potential issues with your feet. If you experience difficulty balancing, you may wish to practice this series next to a wall or chair to assist with balancing.

You may wish to warm the muscles with light and simple cardio moves for about five minutes before moving into holding positions.

Standing Yoga Series to Strengthen the Core and Improve Balance

1. Mountain
2. Powerful Chair
3. Warrior 1
4. Warrior 2
5. Reverse Warrior
6. Extended Side Angle
7. Extended Triangle
8. Warrior 3
9. Tree
10. Half Moon
11. Forward Fold
12. Mountain

Thanks for visiting Fit Tips 4 Life! Check out my site map for more articles or click to see the articles below:

• A Healthier Lifestyle One Day at a Time: A Positive Attitude
• Can Horse Therapy Improve a Person's Core Strength, Balance, and Health?
• Health Effects of a Thankful Attitude and Practical Tips for Being Grateful

Free Printable Walking Cards for Counting Laps or Time: Giving Thanks!

Walking Cards for Giving Thanks - Photo by Click

Walking cards can help one to focus attention on specific themes. This November, many of my Facebook friends are posting daily words of thanks, so I decided to create walking cards of thanks. These free cards can be printed and kept together with a keychain.

This list includes twelve cards. The first four cards contain Bible verses including words of thanks from the King James Version. The remaining eight cards offer suggestions for specific things for which you might offer thanks. You can make each topic specific and meaningful to you as you walk.

If you are walking on a standard track and focusing on one card per lap, you will have walked three miles. Alternatively, you might change cards at a designated number of minutes. Be careful to watch where you are walking – you may wish to stop whenever reading a card. Ensure that you check with a healthcare provider before starting or changing any exercise program.

Directions

1. Click on the images below to enlarge.
2. Select file-print.

I hope you enjoy these walking cards! Feel free to share your experience with this resource in the comment section below.

Readers may also wish to read:

• Walking for Exercise? Free Printable Bible Verses for Counting Laps
• Words of Encouragement for Those Who Struggle with Weight
• A Healthier Lifestyle One Day at a Time: A Positive Attitude

Find additional articles and printables at the Fit Tips 4 Life site map.

Walking Cards Words of Thanks

How to Making Walking More Interesting

How to Focus Your Mind While Exercising

Great Exercise Playlist – Music to Inspire the Survivor in You

Songs to Help Pick You Up - Photo by Camdiluv

Feeling a little down? This playlist combines a variety of beats per minute and older with contemporary styles that are likely to get you moving to the music. Who knows? You might even be smiling by the time you finish working out to these uplifting survivor songs!

I've listed the songs and beside them the artists or groups that lifted these songs into the limelight.

• Good Morning (Mandisa)
• Rhythm Nation (Janet Jackson)
• Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) (Kelly Clarkson)
• Hit Me With Your Best Shot (Pat Benatar)
• We Are Family (Sister Sledge)
• Don't Bring Me Down (Electric Light Orchestra)
• What Makes You Beautiful (One Direction)
• Overcomer (Mandisa)
• Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Supremes)
• Respect (Aretha Franklin)
• Voice of Truth (Casting Crowns)
• Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)

Readers may also be interested in reading:

• A Healthier Lifestyle One Day at a Time: A Positive Attitude
• Great Exercise Playlist: Old and New Songs for a Fun Workout
• Words of Encouragement for People who Struggle with Weight

Before starting or changing any workout routine, check with your healthcare provider regarding your own unique needs for exercise.

Find additional playlists, exercise tips, fitness articles and more at Katrena's Fit Tips 4 Life site map.

5 Fitness Plan Roadblocks and Practical Tips to Stay on Track

How to Stay on Track with Fitness Goals - Photo by tpascal

Many people resolve to get into shape after November and December splurges. A new year might spark an interest in a new healthier lifestyle. Ideas become reality, and the workouts begin. Great!

But then come icy roads, cancelled group exercise classes, broken machines in the weight room, and the list goes on. Fitness routines are often the first to retreat to the back burner when schedules begin to crunch and original plans go awry. These are the times made for one's backup fitness plan, a plan B.

I Can't Exercise Outside...Now What?

If outdoor conditions are unsafe, what indoor exercises are acceptable to you? Even small indoor areas are often suitable for workouts. Take, for example, this Power Walk video. Just be careful if choosing videos – some are much safer than others. Treadmills, exercise bikes, and other machines enable people to get a great cardiovascular workout in a small indoor space. Walking in an indoor track or mall can be a great option when outdoor workouts are not possible.

Oh No...Not an Injury!

If you have an injury, how might you safely modify your exercise routine? Water walking, swimming, and other water exercises may provide support to the joints and enable you to maintain a similar exercise routine in the water. Many people do not consider classes designed for seniors, yet many of these classes welcome adults of all ages and provide several modifications for people who have injuries.

My Exercise Partner Didn't Show Up

If you originally planned to work out with someone, what will you do if he or she cannot come? Do you have a backup plan that you can safely perform alone? Are other people available? Is a group exercise class a possibility? Do you have music to help pass the time?

But That Was My Favorite Exercise Class!

If a group exercise class is cancelled or a substitute is teaching, what are your plans? Many people take one look at a sub and run for the hills...or perhaps the car, ditching the workout completely. As an exercise instructor who has been teaching since 1999, I want to assure you that I would love to see people coming in and trying a new routine or a different instructor! And if the class is cancelled, move to plan B. Or plan C. Doing something new can challenge not only one's muscles but one's brain as well. If you truly enjoy an exercise class, plan to attend regularly – many great exercise classes are cancelled due to low numbers.

A Backup Plan for Success

Roadblocks are bound to appear from time to time that have the potential turn that healthy, active lifestyle back into a sedentary one. Being fully prepared with several backup plans can help ensure you stay on track and keep you moving toward your fitness goals.

Before starting or changing a fitness routine, check with one's healthcare provider regarding which exercises are safe for you.

Related Articles:

• How to Make a Healthy Lifestyle Plan – Tips for Success
• Words of Encouragement for People Who Struggle with Weight
• A Healthier Lifestyle One Day at a Time: A Positive Attitude

How to Make a Healthy Lifestyle Plan – Tips for Success

Tips for Making a Successful Exercise Plan

Many people would agree that a healthy lifestyle reaps many physical and emotional benefits. And many folks resolve to become healthier for various reasons. Unfortunately, 30-70% of people who begin a new exercise program stop within six months. Developing and writing down a clear plan may increase your chances for success.

This article goes into detail to help you get started with an exercise plan. A printable sheet at the bottom of this article allows you to print and write your own personal fitness plan, including the who, what, when, where, why, and how of what you wish to accomplish.

Who...

• should you see before creating a plan? (If starting or changing an exercise/diet program, check with your healthcare provider for specific tips appropriate for your needs and current fitness level. Readers may wish to read tips for talking with one's doctor. If you are signing up to join a gym or see a personal trainer, set up an appointment to learn how to safely use equipment, exercises that will target certain areas, and more.)
• will benefit if you live a healthy lifestyle? (Will you benefit? Will others benefit? Name them.)
• motivates you? (Readers may wish to read about internal and external motivational factors. You may wish to create some sort of reward system as you achieve each goal.)
• is willing to serve as an accountability partner & what specifically would you like that person to say/do and not say/do? (This person might be a family member, mentor, friend, colleague, etc. Someone who particularly wants to see you achieve your goals may be a particularly good accountability partner. If you specify what you would like the person to do or not do, there will be less of a chance for hurt feelings or misunderstandings. You might write letters to yourself to open at regular intervals or set up email alerts to yourself if you feel hesitant to ask anyone to help you at this point.)

What...

• is your current diet? (Keeping a food diary can help you to find hidden calories, common cheat foods, and times when you lean toward unhealthy snacking. It is hard to correct something if you do not know what the problems are.)
• barriers stand in your way? (Lack of money? Readers may wish to read about tips for getting a free gym membership and ideas for an inexpensive walking exercise program. Lack of time? Perhaps you could fit in three or four 15-minute exercise segments or wake up 30 minutes earlier each day. Anticipating barriers can help you to determine what you plan to do to keep those negatives from standing in the way of improving your health.)
• are you willing to change in your diet? (The U.S.D.A. has a ChooseMyPlate web site with tips regarding healthy diet choices, including cultural options. You might try starting with something very simple, such as cutting out one type of empty calorie with a plan to replace that item with something that is nutritious and appealing to you. Ensure that you have healthy options readily available. If the people in your household are willing to eat healthier, this can help to decrease the number of unhealthy foods in the home. Fad diets and eating plans that leave out entire food groups do not tend to have positive long-term results and may lead to negative health issues later.)
• is your current exercise program? (If you are unsure whether or not you are sedentary, you might wish to wear a pedometer for a few days to determine how many steps you walk each day. Approximately 10,000 steps/day is typically considered an active lifestyle. I found pedometers at Dollar Tree for $1 – this does not need to be an expensive investment.)
• are you willing to change about your exercise program? (Make a list of exercises that appeal to you. Cross training can be very helpful to train various muscles in different ways and also to help decrease boredom. The CDC has recommendations for cardiovascular and resistance exercises for children, adults, and those over the age of 65. The exercises do not have to be elaborate, extreme, or expensive.)
• supplies do you need? (Ensure that you have safe footwear and appropriate clothing. Compare the cost of gym memberships in your area. Do you need equipment at home or for classes? Do you need transportation to an exercise area?)

When...

• are you going to make these changes? (After getting the okay from your healthcare provider, consider why you are waiting if you plan to start making changes some time in the future. If you find yourself waiting for a holiday to be over or for a stressful situation to resolve, keep in mind that holidays and successful situations tend to reappear at regular intervals. A healthier routine might help one to enjoy the holidays more and to be able to better cope with stress.)
• does your schedule allow time to exercise? (Where is the down time in your schedule? Do you need to wake up earlier? Stay up later? Exercise on your lunch break? Exercise after dropping the kids off at school? Exercising when it is most convenient tends to lead to increased success.)
• are you most likely to exercise on a regular basis? (Are you a morning person? A night owl? Do you get your second wind in the middle of the day? Splitting up the exercise into smaller segments might help if you cannot commit to a longer time frame. Regularly exercising for 15 minutes a day is generally better than not exercising at all.)
• are the hours that the gym/mall/field/playground/park, etc. is open? (Unless you want to walk around the perimeter of the area, it is a good idea to check hours of operation. Look for holiday hour changes, child care hours, and any other factors that might make or break your exercise routine at that location.)

 Where...

• do you prefer to exercise? (Take an honest look at previous habits and see if you notice trends where you tend to be more or less likely to exercise.)
• at home could you exercise? (Do you have a designated space or can you create one at home?)
• outside could you exercise? (If your yard is small, you might consider community outdoor tracks, parks, and public sidewalks. You might check with local law enforcement to see if you should avoid any areas due to safety concerns.)
• inside, but not at home, could you exercise? (Consider a gym, mall, senior center, or other areas.)

 

Why...

• do you want to change your current lifestyle habits? (Writing this down will help remind you how important this goal is to you on those days when moving toward a healthy lifestyle becomes difficult. You might try including a picture, poem, or drawing that will remind you of why you are wanting to commit to becoming more fit.)

How...

• will your accomplish your goals? (Include a start date, date to assess your progress, and a date by which you would like to accomplish your goals. Consider specific dietary/exercise changes, a plan to control stress, etc. Create a general, overall goal and then break it down into how to plan to accomplish that goal with short-term measurable goals. Avoid making all of your goals related to weight. A healthy lifestyle is measured by more than a scale. An example of a general goal might be: I wish to lower my need for diabetes medicine by 10% within 12 weeks. Examples of specific short term goals might be: I will attend a 1-hour cardio exercise class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and will lift weights for 20 minutes and walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I will swim laps for 45 minutes on Saturdays and attend a 45-minute yoga class on Sundays.)
• will you assess your progress? (If you created short-term measurable goals, determine when you will measure the results. As you assess your progress, give yourself permission to tweak things. Some people may make goals so easy that they are sure to succeed, but they may not feel like they have accomplished much to improve their health. Others may create goals that are quite lofty but perhaps do not allow enough time to accomplish the criteria. As you assess your progress at regular intervals, you may find that the plan is ineffective. Now you know what does not work. Look at how you might change your plan to see what will work in the future. As you accomplish your goals, give yourself permission to celebrate and enjoy the success!)

 

Additional articles:

• A Healthier Lifestyle One Day at a Time – A Positive Attitude
• Great Exercise Playlist – Music to Inspire the Survivor in You
• Functional Exercise – Fitness with a Practical Purpose

Find more of Katrena's articles at the Fit Tips 4 Life site map.

Below is the printable chart to assist you in developing your own personalized healthy lifestyle plan. I hope you find this resource to be helpful.

Printable Individual Fitness Plan for Healthier Living