Good intentions – this is how you find the right strategy
It is important to know that long-term success will primarily be granted to those who set concrete goals and motivate them properly. It is also essential to stay on the ball: many people only get used to the new behavior after about six months. The danger of falling back into old habits is then not so great. Along the way, keep the following in mind:
concrete plan. It doesn’t matter whether it’s about losing weight or quitting smoking: Decide exactly what you want to do, when and how. With these concrete points, the first step towards change is much easier. For example, “swimming for an hour on Fridays after work” is a clearer goal than “doing more sport” in general.
realistic goal. The goal should therefore be clearly formulated. But be careful: it should be challenging and a bit obligatory, but it has to be realistic. Otherwise you can quickly lose motivation.
Short-term temptations. Before you start, you should think about how you can deal with your “inner weaker self”. For example, make the long-term goals particularly clear. Imagine how slim you will look or how fit you will be if you exercise more. The clearer this happens, the more short-term temptations fade.
Control. Tell your friends about your resolution – it creates positive pressure. If you prefer to keep goals to yourself, a letter to yourself or a note on the bathroom mirror can help you keep track of them.
Motivation. In order to be really motivated, you should look for a motto that is not designed for sacrifice. So not “I don’t smoke anymore”, but “I want to be able to breathe freely again and at the same time save more money for nice things”. Also think about who could support you in your project.
Drinking less alcohol – the advantages
Alcohol can be bad for your health. Anyone who frequently drinks larger amounts risks inflammation of the liver, stomach and pancreas, and the risk of cancer also increases. In addition, alcohol is easily addictive if consumed frequently. Those who are at risk should try to adhere to certain “drinking rules”. This includes not drinking alcohol every day and going for an occasional “dry week.”
Tipp: Detailed information and tips are available in the portal Know your limit the Federal Center for Health Education.
Do more sport, bring movement into everyday life
If you move more and do sports, you strengthen your muscles and improve your condition. Losing weight is also much easier with exercise. However, beginners should not place too high demands on themselves or hope for effects that are too quick. Ideal endurance sports are jogging, inline skating, cycling or swimming. The last two are also particularly easy on the joints.
But you can also plan more exercise into your everyday life. Walk more often, use the stairs instead of the elevator, or get off the bus one stop earlier.
Tipp: If you want to go to the gym, you should give yourself enough time to choose and try out different studios first. Our test fitness studios and our test online fitness studios are also helpful. If you are interested in digital helpers for fitness, you can find out more in our test smartwatches and fitness trackers.
Eating healthy – a few easy tips
In Germany, about half of the women and two thirds of the men are according to the German Obesity Society overweight. In addition to not enough exercise and sport, this is also due to the wrong eating habits and too much unhealthy food. Health suffers as a result: cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders are on the increase.
It is not difficult to eat a healthy and varied diet: vegetables and fruit should be on the menu every day. Lean meat and fish can also be served more often. It is also important to drink enough. Water, unsweetened tea and diluted fruit juices are most suitable.
Slimming products are often unsuitable for losing weight. When it comes to weight loss programs, success also depends on how they are designed. Programs that took place in phases in a weight loss clinic or in which overweight people were advised on a long-term change in diet tended to be efficient.
Tips: Current tests and useful information can be found on our Healthy Eating topic page. You will find a lot of advice and healthy recipes in our books, for example in The new side diet.
Avoid stress that find time wasters
Anyone who is often irritable, listless and exhausted should try to make everyday life less hectic and stressful. This includes consciously taking small breaks in everyday working life. Analyze which “time wasters” have crept into your everyday life. Better organization helps save time. Special stress management programs such as Jacobson muscle relaxation, meditation apps or other mindfulness exercises can help.
Tipp:Health insurance funds at least partially finance certified relaxation and many other health courses. You can find information on this, for example, on the websites of the individual health insurance companies.