8 Tips for Reaching Your 2016 Health and Fitness Goals

It’s January, the middle of winter. Each morning, your bed’s gravitational pull seems to get stronger. If you were a bear, you would be in the middle of the ultimate food coma. But you’re not a bear — you’re a human, and you have health and fitness goals to achieve.

Hopefully you haven’t yet given up on your New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier and exercise more. Even if you have, or you’re teetering on the edge of calling it quits, you’ve come to the right place. Treato, a health and wellness website, is lending a helping hand with this awesome list of 8 Tips for Reaching Your 2016 Health and Fitness Goals. Think of these as your 10 Commandments for cleaning up your diet and getting a rockin’ beach body.

1. Empty your fridge

Unless your refrigerator contains a lifetime supply of marshmallow fluff, this is more metaphor than actual advice. The point is, when it comes to health and fitness, it all starts with what you eat, and your fridge (and pantry) is usually an accurate reflection of your diet. So get rid of all those sauces that are loaded with sugar or high fructose corn syrup, throw out the Chinese takeout leftovers and ditch the cookie dough. In terms of what you should put in your fridge, I’m not going to bombard you with diet advice. There’s plenty of that on the web and in magazines. The keyword, though, is balance. You don’t need to completely give up carbs or dairy or sweets (though some dietitians say otherwise). Instead, make sure your diet includes: plenty of fruits and veggies, complex carbohydrates like whole grains and beans, “good” fats like those found in olive oil and nuts, and lean meats, poultry and fish.

2. Exhaust your online resources

Since you’re reading this article, you’re aware of the fact that the Internet is a tremendous resource for health advice. Now is the time to take full advantage of those resources. Did you know that you can find yoga classes and other exercise videos on YouTube? This is a great alternative if you don’t want to pay for a gym membership or just prefer working out at home. Pinterest and Instagram are teeming with inspirational posts and information about new routines, proper form, nutrition, etc. You should also consider joining an online healthy living community. There are some that focus on women’s health, others that are specifically geared towards fitness trends like CrossFit, as well as forums for people with health conditions like diabetes and Crohn’s disease.

3. Partner up

Whether it’s for support or a little healthy competition, having a buddy makes starting a new diet or workout plan — and sticking to it — a lot easier. Maybe your significant other also wants to kick a few bad habits. Turn your date night into a couples gym outing. Working up a sweat together is sure to spice things up! Or, see if the coworker you typically go to happy hour with wants to grab a healthy snack instead. It doesn’t matter whom you choose as your healthy living buddy, as long as you know that you’ll hold each other accountable.

If you can’t think of any friends or family members who would make a good workout buddy, you can try a new app called WellSquad. Launched just last year, WellSquad uses an algorithm to match you with people in your area who have similar fitness goals and favorite activities. The app is free, except if you’re looking for a “Squad Leader,” a personal trainer, fitness instructor or dietitian who you communicate with through the app.

4. Hire a personal trainer or dietitian

Speaking of personal trainers and dietitians… Hiring someone to create a personalized workout or meal plan isn’t cheap but it’ll pay off in the long run. Think about it: Do you trust the web for all your medical issues, or do you occasionally consult a doctor? A health and fitness professional can pinpoint problem areas and help you set long­term goals. And this can be accomplished in just one or two sessions! If cost is a concern, most trainers and dietitians offer cheaper rates for online consultation than they do for in­person meetings.

5. Track your progress

We live in the golden age of fitness apps and wearables. Calorie counting, heart rate tracking, sleep monitoring, step counting — no matter your specific needs, there’s an app or wearable that can help you monitor your daily health. Jawbone and Fitibit are among the most popular and trusted brands, but there also more affordable options like Misfit and Xiaomi. With these new technologies, you can have an online diary of your progress and watch in real­time as you get closer to your goals. Quick Doctor highly recommends using watches and wrist straps that monitor your heart rate, step count and various other statistics, allowing you to check up on your health anytime, anywhere.

6. Find a physical activity that you enjoy

Do people actually like going to the gym? Of course! I do and I see a lot of people at my gym who seem to the feel the same way. However, if “gym allergy” is one of your most recent Google searches, then you might need to think outside the box a little. Luckily, the Internet is a great way to find new activities, as well as people to do them with. You were the dodgeball champion in middle school? Then join a dodgeball league!

7. Avoid doing too much, too soon (TMTS)

While it’s tempting to expect immediate results in this fast­paced world of ours, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your new body. That’s why it’s important to take things slow while your body and mind adjust to a new lifestyle. One reason why a lot of diets and fitness plans fail is that people fall into the trap of doing Too Much, Too Soon (TMTS).

An example of TMTS is giving up your favorite foods cold turkey. Eventually, when the cravings become too strong, you’ll cave and feel like a failure, when really, you’re only human. Another example is setting an unrealistic fitness goal, like going to the gym six days a week when you’ve only worked out a few times in the past six months. To avoid the dreaded TMTS, try changing your habits gradually. Run for five minutes one day, ten minutes the next, twelve the day after that, and so on and so forth. Also, allow yourself some “cheat” days when you eat whatever you please (within reason) and watch TV until your eyes fall out.

8. Have fun!

If you have the wrong mindset, then a new diet or workout plan will feel like a prison sentence. Instead, think of your body as a retirement account (No, that doesn’t mean you’re old!). Each daily contribution you make by eating healthy and exercising will eventually add up to something really valuable. Your future self will thank you! While saving money isn’t inherently fun, healthy living can be. The truth is that we often overestimate the pleasure we derive from our bad habits. How happy does that tenth cookie actually make you feel? On the other hand, there’s nothing like making a commitment to self­care and seeing the results of your discipline and hard work. That’s the kind of happiness that lasts!