Back in January I decided to try something different in 2016 when it comes to healthy living goals. Instead of making a big lofty goal, I thought I would try mini-goals for each month.
This year I want to focus on one healthy habit each month. I hope that by focusing intensely on one thing for a month, I will turn it into a habit that sticks with me throughout the year. Here are my:
Healthy Habits for a Healthy Year
January: Drink 8 Glasses of Water Each Day
February: Eliminate Snacking
March: Exercise 4 Days a Week
April: Sleep at Least 9 Hours a Night
June: Stretch Each Day
July: Track My Steps Each Day
August: Eat Fruits and Vegetables at Every Meal
September: Eat a Big Salad for Lunch Each Day
October: Observe One Sabbath a Week
November: Write in a Gratitude Journal Each Day
December: Spend 10 Minutes Outside Every Day
June’s Recap
June’s challenge was to stretch each day. I was somewhat successful with this goal. I ended up stretching at nighttime before bed about 75% of the time. The nights that I did stretch, I felt amazing! Because I’ve been working like crazy on my book right now, I didn’t make the time to do a full Pilates or Yoga workout most days. However, by stretching for about ten minutes before bed, I increased flexibility and relaxation. It was lovely!
July’s Health Habit: Track My Steps Each Day
The numbers nerd is me is really excited for this next challenge! In July I will track my steps each day in order to become more aware about my overall activity. Because I have been writing so much lately, I feel that I have developed more of a sedentary lifestyle than I would like. So, this challenge comes at the perfect time!
10,000 steps is the mythical number that most fitness routines and technological aids tout. The average person walks a mile in 2,000 steps, so hitting the 10,000 mark signifies a 5 mile walk throughout the day. And, that is a great goal to aim for. However, I’m not going to beat myself up if I don’t make it each day. This month I am merely going to focus on tracking the steps in order to motivate myself to increase them and to find patterns.
My Plan
In order to reach my goal for this month, I will:
1. Buy a Pedometer
Yeah, yeah, I know that pedometers are old fashioned, but a Fitbit just isn’t in our budget right now. Since I knew this challenge was coming up, I purchased a pedometer this week at Target. It is a Sportline Digital Goal Activity Tracker and only cost $20. It not only counts steps but also shows the amount of calories burned, miles walked, and has a place to enter fitness goals. Not bad!
2. Increase Steps Each Week
I am going to aim to increase my number of steps gradually every week. The first week of July I will shoot for 7,000 a day, then 8,000 the next week, 9,000 the third week of July, and finally 10,000 steps the last week. I think this will help me increase my daily activity level in a more sustainable way.
3. Jog More Often
One really easy way to get more steps each day is to go on a run. I have gotten out of the habit of running lately (probably because it is HOT!), but this may encourage me to get back into it. Over the past few days, I have even started just jogging in place several times throughout the day in order to get some quick steps in. These little spurts of activity leave me feeling more energized and happier.
I want to encourage you to think about your health and fitness goals. What will you do to take care of the body God gave you? How will you focus on your health so that you can love and serve others? I challenge you today to take the time to create a few goals for yourself. You are welcome to join me and focus on one habit a month.
Here’s to a healthy you!
Have you ever tracked your daily steps? What tricks do you have for getting more in? Let me know in the comments!
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