If you are someone who has started and quit various diet and workout programs, you know how frustrating it can be to go through the cycle of letting yourself down and then building back your motivation to start again.
The main reasons that people can’t stick to their wellness goals include:
Setting a goal that is too physically rigorous.
For example: Promising yourself you will walk 10k steps per day, when your current average is about 3k.
Choosing a plan that doesn’t fit your lifestyles in the long term.
For example: Cutting out carbs, even though you love pasta.
Not having a plan for days when you fall off track.
For example: You stopped going to the gym because you caught the flu but a few weeks have passed and you haven’t been back.
The EasyWellness app takes a different approach to most diet and fitness plans. EasyWellness offers flexible wellness programs that can be adjusted to fit into any schedule. It also helps you start small so that you can effectively incorporate new habits into your daily routine. At some point it is inevitable that you will have to take a few days off, but that doesn’t mean you have to completely start over. EasyWellness encourages you to do short sessions when needed and will remind you when it’s time to jump back in.
How can you successfully build healthier habits? Here are a few tips:
Choose habits that are most important (and fun) to you.
If you are just starting out on your wellness journey, try choosing two or three wellness pillars from the EasyWellness app: stretching, breathing, hydration or movement. If that’s too much to begin, starting with one is. just. fine. Ask yourself: Which healthy habits will improve my life? Then ask yourself: Why do I think this will be good for me? You want to create a positive wellness experience for yourself, not one that you will associate with additional stress.
2. Start slowly.
Feeling motivated to go on a wellness spree? Be patient and don’t go too extreme. Those sprees don’t last forever. Getting into the habit of logging your water or doing a 10-minute stretching routine before bed may seem simple enough, but overestimating how much you can change your behavior overnight can lead to self sabotage and disappointment. Start by trying to accomplish a small goal regularly rather than trying to accomplish a big goal all at once.
If you normally don’t drink water but want to start drinking 8 glasses per day, start with 4.
If you haven’t been stretching but want to do a session every day, start with 5-minute sessions, 3 times per week.
If you have difficulty taking time for yourself but want to manage stress or sleep better, schedule a Level 1 breathing exercise
If you want to reach 10k steps per day but normally do about 2–3k, plan for 3k and to increase your daily steps by 300 every week or so.
If you have chosen a goal that is too rigorous, such as a step goal that is too high — that’s OK! EasyWellness won’t penalize you for listening to your body. You can adjust your goals, if needed. Not every day is going to be the same.
3. Schedule your programs, set reminders and track your progress.
When you are starting out with EasyWellness, turning on notifications and reminders is one of the most important ways to set yourself up for success. Without them, it’s easy to let the day get away from you. You can schedule your chosen programs for the week and receive reminders when it’s time to stretch, breathe, take a sip of water or go on a walk.
Once you have chosen your Wellness Pillars, you can also track your overall or individual program streaks with the new Insights feature. As you progress and add more wellness pillars to your routine, you will achieve badges to mark your achievements. On a day when everything seems too overwhelming, remember that you can still stick to a do-able portion of your wellness plan and keep your overall streak going.
Remember: The way to getting the maximum benefit of your new healthy habits in the short and long term is consistency. A little bit of care for your body and mind each day will make a difference now and for years to come.
