Each year people resolve to get in shape, exercise, and eat healthier foods. So, why is it so difficult to keep these resolutions? Try these strategies to stay the course.

  • Wake up earlier. Waking up a half hour earlier can make a difference in providing some time to meditate, practice deep breathing, or do some yoga stretches.
  • Move more. A sedentary lifestyle can have an adverse effect on overall health. Set a timer or use a fitness tracker to remind you to get up and move around a little every hour.
  • Eat more vegetables. Vague goals like “eating better” are difficult to maintain. Resolving to eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal is more measurable. Vegetables can also be hidden in favorite foods, including desserts. Try swapping spiralized zucchini for pasta.
  • Stand straighter. Posture tends to decline with age, advises AARP, which can cause the spine to lose flexibility. Stretches help people stand straighter and improve long-term health.
  • Add “bursts” to your walk. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic tout the benefits of interval training. Adding little speed bursts to a daily walk can provide significant health benefits. Aim for 30 to 60 seconds of rapid walking at regular intervals to accomplish this.
  • Drink more water. Increasing water intake helps you feel fuller, and reduces the likelihood of overeating. Try adding more ounces each day.
  • Take a workout outside. Switch up your normal routine by exercising outdoors. Instead of three miles on the treadmill or elliptical machine at the gym, opt for three miles on a local hiking trail.

Healthy resolutions are easier to keep when you have firm ideas and choose reasonable goals.