Are you starting a new exercise routine, a diet change, or looking to create a healthier lifestyle? Start here with 8 quick tips for helping it stick for the long haul. Becoming a healthier person should be about creating a lifestyle that will last, and not just trying a new diet fad or the hippest workout trend. Take some time to reflect upon things that you can implement into your daily life that become important. Find your soul-mate workout. Implement new, healthy whole food sources into your diet and experiment with new recipes. Have fun with it!

1. The Past is the Past. Keeping a pair of pants to look back on at the end is ok, but try not to hang on to the past YOU too much. You are working on the present and future YOU. Starting today, make new memories.

2. Prepare. We already know you don’t have the time, so write it down like an appointment every day. You wouldn’t cancel an appointment, why would you cancel on yourself? Aren’t you important too?

3. Get your family and friends involved. Let the ones closest to you know about your goals and what you are doing. Hopefully, they will help support you and keep you accountable. Surround yourself with people who think positive and live large. It makes a big difference!

4. Being sore is part of it, so try to put it into perspective. Think of all of the hard things you might have been through in your life. The soreness/pain will go away. You can’t let it defeat you.

5. Eat. Working out will get you in shape. Eating a balanced, healthy diet will get you RESULTS.

6. Understand your energy cycle. You will find that you have peak parts of your day, and even your week. Try to complete your workout when you feel good about yourself. If it’s just one of those days, understand that getting your workout in (even when you don’t want to) will also help you feel better about yourself.

7. Be proud of yourself and know WHY you are doing this. Are you exercising to become a better mother, father, employee, friend, etc? Or just because you want to be BETTER? There are limitless reasons…figure out yours!

8. Make it fun and don’t give up on yourself. YOU are worth the hard work it will take!