Useful Tips For Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

If you’re reading this, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Maybe that shirt isn’t fitting the same way, or your pants are getting kinda tight. Maybe you’re running out of breath just by walking up the stairs or taking out the trash. For a lot of us, myself included, maybe this isn’t the first time you tried getting into shape, but ugh it’s so fucking hard to maintain. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about!

At some point we all go through it. Our lifestyles catch up to us until one day we reach a tipping point and can’t handle ourselves any more. That medium shirt didn’t just turn into a small.. Trust – we’ve been there, we know how it is. What’s important to know, though, is that you’re here now, and that means you want to do something about it.

Many of us tend to focus on the Diet and Exercise aspects of health and fitness. I mean it makes sense, right? Everyone always says you gotta eat the right foods and hit up the gym. What you don’t always hear, though, is that Diet and Exercise is the easy part! Motivation, especially keeping that motivation, is what really matters when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Make it a habit

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.— Michael Jordan

Have you heard of the 21/90 rule? They say it takes 21 days to make something a habit, then another 90 days to make it a permanent part of your lifestyle.

Doing something continuously for 21 days will turn it into a habit. When you’re first starting out, there’s always going to be that short period where your body is adjusting to a new change, whether it’s a dietary change or doing unfamiliar exercises. This is natural! It’s all a process where your body and mind are getting used to the new stimulus that you are receiving. After about 3 weeks, these new changes will start to feel like a normal part of your day.

Once you get past that initial hump, the next 90 days will really determine whether this is something you truly want to commit to. There will be times when you’ll feel like skipping a workout or eating that donut (mmm, donuts). Go ahead, indulge! What really matters is that you don’t lose sight of your original goal.

After that last 3 months of steadily living a healthy lifestyle, you’ll start to feel different when you aren’t working out or cheating on your diet.

How bad do you want it?

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.— Confucius

I know this sounds cliche, but seriously – How bad do you want it? It’s one thing to want to make a change, but it’s another thing to see your transformation unfold. Or not. Too many people give up before they ever reach their goals. Are you going to be one of those people?

Now, it’s not always going to be easy. For me, it was helpful to remember how I felt when I first made the decision to live a healthier life. Whenever I felt like giving up, I would think back to how motivated I was at the beginning. I’d remind myself of how excited and dedicated I was during those first 3 weeks.

I’d ask myself, “Where did that motivation go?” The answer was always that it didn’t go anywhere. Instead, my goals changed. I was going towards instant gratification, not towards my original goal. I realized that the struggle to keep going was really just me losing sight of my goal.

Yes, I cheated on my diet (and pretty often). Yes, I got lazy and skipped workouts – sometimes for weeks at a time. No, I did not give up. I still don’t have the body that I want, but I definitely reached my goal of being a healthier person.

Be patient.

“Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to remain the same”

Of course a lot of this is easier said than done, right? 90 days? Foreal?

The real secret to getting the body you want isn’t the perfect diet, or workout plan, and it definitely isn’t some bullshit diet pill.. The secret is that doing the things fit and healthy people do is going to make you fit and healthy! No shit?!

Your body isn’t going to magically change over night. There’s no such thing as a shortcut when it comes to health and fitness. The only way to reach your goal is to get there yourself. That doesn’t mean that you have to do it all at once, though!

Stay the course!

Struggle ends where commitment begins.— Sumner Davenport

A healthy lifestyle is one that you can stay committed to! What’s the point if you don’t get to indulge every once in a while? Having that one donut isn’t the end of the world, but having donuts every day may not be the best idea if your goal is to get in shape.

As long as you get back on track, and continue to work towards your goal, you will reach it. You might not even realize when you actually get there. It certainly took me a while to accept myself after having gotten into better shape. I had to hear it from multiple people before I even realized how far I’d actually come along. And while I still don’t feel like I’m where I want to be, I’m more confident than I’ve ever been knowing that I will get there.

Once you’ve gotten into the habit of living a healthier lifestyle, you’ll look at yourself in the mirror and you’ll see how far you’ve come. You’ll feel the same way too! Make it a goal to push yourself further!

So to wrap things up, here’s a quick list of things that will make the transition into a healthier lifestyle easier:

• Use the 21/90 rule to acclimate your body and mind into being healthy.
• Remind yourself about your goals and motivations.
• Be patient. Your body doesn’t change over night.
• Stay committed!

Hopefully this helps you all stay on track! And don't forget, STAY SHREDDED!

Louis Ha

Bring The Shreds was founded by Louis Ha.

Louis is an online fitness coach and entrepreneur based in the Bay Area.