Want to make a change? Find your motivating 'why'

对于我们中的许多人来说，很难有动力去锻炼或健康饮食. 但如果采用正确的思维方法，这可能比你想象的要容易.

增强意志力，开始健康的生活习惯，避免过去的不健康行为，需要一种新的思维方式——一开始要迈出一小步, experts say.

"We are creatures of habit. 开始任何新事物都会让人不知所措，因为它通常需要改变常规," said Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy, an author and holistic health counselor.

一个障碍是关于最佳饮食和锻炼计划的相互矛盾的建议的“信息过载”, Kennedy said. That can result in lack of action. Creating self-awareness about your current lifestyle, perhaps through a daily log, 然后研究最佳实践可以确定最适合你的方法.

"Each person is different. There is no one-size-fits-all diet or exercise plan," she said. "Seek to become an expert on you."

今天对即时结果的关注可能会导致短期观点. Sometimes, 除非有严重的后果或与当前状况相关的高度疼痛, Kennedy said, it may be hard to stick with a healthy plan for the long haul.

“我们可能会满怀热情地开始一些事情，比如那些新年决心，但除非你能看到结果，否则精力就会减弱. We are conditioned for the quick fix," she said.

To get around that, she suggests a strategy of telling yourself, "Not now, maybe later," when facing unhealthy temptations.

But remember that willpower may be an exhaustible resource. 用意志力去做一些困难的事情可能会耗尽意志力，使以后更难抵抗诱惑, according to a study by social psychologist Roy Baumeister.

Consider making lifestyle decisions when your willpower is high, 比如把你的食品柜里的垃圾食品清理干净，这样你以后就不会再被它诱惑了，或者制定一个计划，在一天或一周的晚些时候和朋友一起去上健身课.

Starting small allows for incremental victories. Make your goals S.M.A.R.T. ——具体的、可衡量的、可实现的、相关的和及时的. If necessary, break a goal down into even smaller milestones.

For example, add nutrient-dense foods 在你的饮食计划中加入水果和坚果，排除加工食品. Try different nutritious foods to find what you prefer.

她说:“让它与探索、节制和剥夺有关。.

To gradually incorporate movement into your daily routine, 走楼梯而不是坐电梯，每天休息10到15分钟. Use breaks for taking a walk, chair yoga or deep breathing.

美国心脏协会建议每周至少进行150分钟中等强度的锻炼 physical activity 或者75分钟的剧烈运动，或者两者结合，最好在一周内进行.

By having a workout bag or yoga mat ready to go, heading off to an exercise session becomes more convenient. 如果去健身房不方便，那就找其他方式锻炼身体. Play some music and dance freestyle. 肯尼迪说，在一个特定的线上电子游戏飞禽走兽，一种新的日常习惯会在三、四周后变成习惯.

持久改变的关键之一是找到一个总体的愿景，为什么更健康的生活方式是重要的, Kennedy said.

“这可能是因为你想有精力和孩子一起玩，也可能是因为你想存钱创业. 我告诉我的客户‘为什么’，‘怎么做’就容易多了，”她说.

Try to practice "mindfulness,这会提高你的注意能力，让你脱离“自动模式”," she said, 此外，你可以通过练习自我照顾和获得足够的食物来为自己的成功做好准备 sleep.

Sleep deprivation can increase hunger and affect memory and mood. 睡眠质量差还会增加患高血压的风险, which is a potential cause of heart disease.

As changes start to take root, 肯尼迪说，重要的是要记住，偶尔的失误是可能发生的. If they do, keep moving forward.

"Simply get back on track and don't beat yourself up. Play the long game," she said. "You want to deepen your belief that you can do this."

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