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I continually get asked the same thing, not only right after New Year's but throughout the year...

“How do I make the healthy changes I've set out for actually stick?”

You may be thinking the same thing…

If you’re anything like I was, trying to lose weight almost seemed impossible! The roller coaster of lose, gain, lose, gain makes you feel hopeless and helpless. So how do make the roller coaster stop at LOSE and never (ever) return to gain?

The real question is…

How do you make the healthy changes you’ve set out for last a lifetime?

Well the answer is simple, but it may not be easy.

What it takes to make your health changes permanent is not discipline. It’s not will power or even accountability…although, yes, all of those do help dramatically…

The way to make this year’s changes permanent comes down to 1 thing…

Your HABITS!

Here’s what I mean from my own life…

I’ll never forget just a few years ago, my husband and I were on an airplane and he turned to me, as I was eating my healthy packed lunch of chicken over vegetables and he asked, “Did you make that this morning?” I said “No, I packed it yesterday after dinner while I was cleaning up.”

And then he asked something that surprised me…

“Isabel, how can you be so disciplined all the time?”

That’s where he had it wrong.

It’s not discipline that drives my healthy choices. It is not even will power. What helps me stay consistent with my healthy eating and exercise plan are my HABITS and although none of them were instilled overnight (it does take some time) they make sticking to my health plan super easy.

It’s like brushing your teeth or making coffee. You do these things because that’s what you do.

Now you may be thinking…

Where do I begin? Which habits do I start with? How do I make a single healthy choice a habit?

Although it may seem overwhelming at first, it doesn’t have to be. All you need is a simple guide to get you started.

Here are some of the helpful habits I’ve incorporated into my own life that help me to maintain my lean physique and feel great all year round…

1. Keep a large glass (or travel container if I’m out of the house) of water next to me at all times. This helps me stay hydrated and reach my daily water goals.

2. Always have leftover protein in the refrigerator no matter what. This helps me stick to my habit of eating protein with every meal.

3. Go to bed at the same time every night. This helps me accomplish my goal of sleeping 7+ hours every night and maintain a routine.

4. Play with my kids outside every day (sometimes even on rainy days!). This helps me accomplish several goals – quality time with my kids, time outside each day, and staying active every day.

My absolute favorite habit? Meal planning every Sunday. If I always have my meals planned out for the week, I know exactly what I need from the store and what to cook ahead of time. Okay, okay...I know that sounds like a bit much, which is why I rely on the monthly meal plans, recipes, shopping lists, and helpful tips in each issue of LiveSmart. 

»Meal plans delivered to your inbox every month

I know I always do better when I have an easy plan to follow instead of having to figure it all out myself, which is exactly what you’ll get every single month, step-by-step.

You do not need to overhaul your life, nor do you need to make it overly complicated. You can take just a few habits at a time and implement them into your life easily by using simple, done-for-you meal plans.