We’re now well and truly into 2016 (it’s gone so quick!), and this blog post and video are all about how to keep your motivation and energy levels up in order to achieve those health and fitness related goals that you set at the start of the year.
Use Spring to reassess how you’re progressing and plan what you would like to achieve by the summer; you have three months to give it your all and here are my five top tips on getting back on track even if your motivation levels are falling!
Tip 1) Get inspired with something new!
Whether it’s a new healthy recipe book, a new blender or a new gym top, treat yourself to something that will help you to achieve your goals. Getting healthy isn’t about an end result, it’s about creating a fun and appealing lifestyle longer term and adding in something fresh and new can often help with motivation levels and inspiration, giving you a burst of energy to put into your new routine.
Tip 2) Use your phone (wisely!)
There are so many health apps that can support you with both health related goals and motivation. Two of my favourites are Myfitnesspal, which you can use to track the food you eat and the nutritional content, as well as your activity and weight. And the other is the Misfit App, which tracks my daily steps, as well as calories burned and total distance travelled during exercise. I really love it when apps sync up with your friends who have the same goals or same fitness devices so that you can have a bit of healthy competition – it can really spur you on to either eat more healthily or give you the energy to get moving!
Tip 3) Get Seasonal
What you eat has such a huge effect on your overall health and my tip is to eat with the seasons. Any time of year is a good time to eat fruits and vegetables, but right now, apples, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and grapefruit are in season, so stock up!
If you struggle to to get all of the nutrients that you need every day, then taking a daily multivitamin as a backup may be a good option. I’ve recently been trying out multivitamin from Alive! called ‘Women’s Energy’, which come as a Soft Jell (and taste so delicious!!), and are made with orange and berry natural fruit flavours. More importantly though, they contain a whole host of vitamins and minerals to keep you feeling your best including Vitamin D, which many people are deficient in at this time of the year, and the full Vitamin B complex which is great for energy levels as it helps our bodies to use the food that we eat as fuel. They also contains Biotin, which can help maintain our hair and skin, as well as Zinc which helps support normal fertility and reproduction – they really are a great all-rounder!
Tip 4) Meal Plan!
It’s a good idea to plan what you’re going to eat for the week so that you can buy what food you need in advance, and it means that when you get home after a long day there’s no need to stress about what you’re having for dinner. By planning ahead you can make sure that your whole week is filled with healthy and well-balanced meals that will keep your energy levels up throughout the day. And don’t forget the 80/20 rule; if you’re eating healthy, whole foods for the majority of the time then the other 20% won’t matter!
Tip 5) Get social!
Sharing your goals with others face to face or online can be a huge motivator. I for one love seeing people’s progress pictures of a new healthy lifestyle journey and it can really spur you on to hear what others think too. Positive messages from your circle of friends and family can give you the energy to keep going and achieve your goals.
Social media such as Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and blog posts can also be really inspirational. You can see how other people are doing things and get ideas for new recipes, workouts and activities for free. They are also really easy to share with others who may also be on the same journey as you – we can all motivate each other!
I really hope you find these tips useful and do send me a message on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter to let me know how you’re getting on with your 2016 goals!
*This blog post was written in collaboration with Alive!. Please note that collaborations do not influence advice given. I personally take a multivitamin containing vitamin D as a way of ensuring that I reach my recommended daily nutrient intakes however I would recommend that you speak to your own doctor or dietitian for advice. I do not promote products featured over others that are not featured. Please read my disclaimer page for more information.
