With the New Year rolling around, there are a lot of resolutions to make better choices and improve during 2013. Many people resolve to improve their physical health, be it through exercise and fitness, weight loss, better eating choices, or even picking up a new sport. With or without a specific resolution, small steps towards better health and wellness are always advisable.

Accomplishing any goal takes diligence, but a year-long commitment to life change is going to take lots of determination and willpower. If you are like the majority of Australians, your resolution probably has to do with health and fitness.

Some small tips could prevent burnout on a long-term goal. Knowing what’s ahead is just as important as knowing what to do in the moment. Here are a few ideas that might get your year started off well:

1. If you don’t know what it is, don’t eat it. Fake foods are literally all around us. Marauding as real nutrition, but providing little in the way of substance to help get you through the day. According to Josette Puig, a mother of four, fitness expert and health coach, if a food contains something to prolong its shelf life, that “probably means it’s going to take away more of your life.” Only putting known substances into your body sounds simple, but is much more challenging. Read labels, and above all, buy things fresh, there’s less guess-work that way.
2. Just move. Walking burns more calories than you might think. Some research has shown that the same number of calories is burned per distance moved whether you are moving quickly or slowly. So, get out and walk a kilometre or two. In the summertime, there are fewer excuses for staying sequestered inside, so it’s now or never. The average Australian walks an average of just over 9,000 steps per day. While it’s far better than other developed countries, it is still shy of the mark by at least 1,000 steps.
3. Find something you love doing and stick to it. You are infinitely more likely to go do something you love every day this year than to force yourself into a hated activity for each of those days. Making sure you fit yourself into a mould that fits you is critical. Whether you love pottery or dance or jogging, don’t try to be someone you’re not and make sure you stick to your plans.
4. Set reachable goals. If you’re a virtual couch potato right now, then deciding to run three marathons before the year ends is probably not a very achievable goal. Make sure to see this year as part of a progression of your entire life, not finite all by itself. Setting and achieving a reasonable goal is going to be more gratifying in the end than making a monumental goal and failing.
5. Find someone to help you stick to your goals. Whether you want to walk more, eat less junk or go to the gym more often, having someone to go with you will not only provide some much-needed support and time with a friend, but it will also probably benefit the person who helps you out as well. Help might even come from unexpected places such as competitions being held for fitness challenges or even health insurance incentives. People who take the time to compare health insurance at https://choosewell.com.au/family-health-insurance/ can find rewards programs for making improvements to their health.

The psychology of goal-setting is a fascinating science and is part of what makes humans what they are. Being able to set and reach goals over lengthy periods of time helps define us and sets us apart in the world. Goals are an intrinsic part of what makes up the human race. The other side of the goal-setting skills we possess is the ability we have to make goals and break them. This cycle is a difficult one to stop once it begins. Being certain to be reasonable with yourself and the goals ahead of you will help make 2013 a success.