Many of us think about changes we’d like to make in our lives. When it comes to health recommendations, most of us know the drill: Exercise most days of the week; eat a varied and nutritious diet; keep your body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9; get enough sleep; keep up with medical screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar; get your mammograms and Pap smears done at recommended intervals; don’t smoke; and limit your alcohol intake to seven drinks a week. Reducing stress, improving your relationships, and developing new interests or hobbies also contribute to healthy living.
Making healthy lifestyle changes affects not only our risk for disease and the way we feel today but also our health and ability to function independently in later life. What we do for ourselves is often more important than what medicine can offer us. Yet making healthy changes is easier said than done. Even when we’re strongly motivated, adopting a new, healthy habit — or breaking an old, bad one — can be terribly difficult. One problem may be that we’re motivated too often by a sense of guilt, fear, or regret. Experts who study behavior change agree that long-lasting change is most likely when it’s self-motivated and rooted in positive thinking. Goals are easier to reach when they are specific and not too numerous, use practical ways to reach them, and remember any effort you make in the right direction is worthwhile, even if you encounter setbacks or find yourself backsliding from time to time.
Making healthy lifestyle changes affects not only our risk for disease and the way we feel today but also our health and ability to function independently in later life. What we do for ourselves is often more important than what medicine can offer us. Yet making healthy changes is easier said than done. Even when we’re strongly motivated, adopting a new, healthy habit — or breaking an old, bad one — can be terribly difficult. One problem may be that we’re motivated too often by a sense of guilt, fear, or regret. Experts who study behavior change agree that long-lasting change is most likely when it’s self-motivated and rooted in positive thinking. Goals are easier to reach when they are specific and not too numerous, use practical ways to reach them, and remember any effort you make in the right direction is worthwhile, even if you encounter setbacks or find yourself backsliding from time to time.