Well done on getting to week 5 of the January BOOST challenges! By now you will hopefully be drinking more water, eating 5 fruit and veg a day, sleeping more and moving your body regularly. These healthy habits are not only manageable, realistic additions to your day-to-day life, but they will have a huge impact on your health long-term. From physical to mental health, each of these habits will help to BOOST your energy and health long-term.
This week’s challenge is a little bit different. Today I want you look at your relationship with health. In order to boost your health in the long-term, you need to maintain your new healthy habits. As great as it is to make healthy changes in January, unless they are maintained the benefits will be short-lived.
For this week’s challenge I would like you to reflect on times in the past where maybe you went on a drastic diet; maybe you lost a lot of weight or maybe your energy levels went through the roof. However, ask yourself the following questions:
Could you see yourself keeping up those extreme changes long-term?
Would you be at your happiest if you lived life this way?
Were you longing for the day when you could go back to your old habits?
Did you maintain the results long-term or did the weight go straight back on?
If you can’t sustain drastic changes to your diet and lifestyle – which, let’s be honest, none of us can – then it is a lot of pain for no long-term gain.
The diet industry is a multibillion-dollar industry. It thrives on repeat customers and promises of quick results. Unfortunately, diets can do more damage then good to your physical and mental health and, not to mention, distorts our understanding of what a healthy diet and lifestyle is. Often people who achieve their desired health goals simply make small changes that they can sustain long-term without being miserable.
This is the key to long-term change.
So, your challenge is to value the changes that you have made so far. Ask yourself the following questions this week:
What am I benefiting from making these healthy changes?
What will I lose if I give up on these healthy changes?
Can I realistically keep up these changes? If not, how can you make the changes more realistic?
Am I thinking long-term with my health? If not, how can you keep up the changes long-term? Should I work with a dietitian or nutritionist?
It is not a quick fix and it won’t drastically change your health overnight, but when it comes to your health, slow and steady wins the race.
From all of us at Spectrum Nutrition, we hope that you have enjoyed taking part in the January BOOST challenge and we hope that you keep up the good work.
We hope that you can see the positive effect that small changes can make to your energy and well-being. You are your most valuable asset. Without your health, all other areas of your life will suffer so strive to prioritise it. As they say, health is the crown that only the sick can see. Imagine how your life might be impacted if your health suffered? Don’t take your health for granted. It really is the greatest gift.
Well done on getting to week 5 of the January BOOST challenges! By now you will hopefully be drinking more water, eating 5 fruit and veg a day, sleeping more and moving your body regularly. These healthy habits are not only manageable, realistic additions to your day-to-day life, but they will have a huge impact on your health long-term. From physical to mental health, each of these habits will help to BOOST your energy and health long-term.