10 ways to thrive to reach your fitness goals

The benefits of being healthy can’t be understated, but staying fit and healthy over the long term can seem like a Herculean task. In order to thrive as a healthy person, it’s important to pay attention to these 10 ways to reach your fitness goals.

1) Take Care of Yourself
No matter what you’re trying to accomplish, it’s impossible when you’re not taking care of yourself. In order to be in tip-top shape for your fitness regimen, make sure you get enough sleep, eat nutritious foods regularly and stay hydrated. Nurturing yourself is an important part of wellness. If you want a full life—both inside and outside of your workouts—make sure you put in time for self-care. These 10 tips will help with that!

2) Stay Motivated
Staying motivated is an integral part of any fitness program. Staying motivated means that you’re more likely to work out consistently, which is essential if you want to see results. One way to stay motivated? Keep track of your workouts! Logging your workouts will help motivate you since it shows that you are working toward achieving your goals.

3) Stay Positive
No matter how fit or healthy you become, there will always be areas in which you struggle. Instead of beating yourself up over them, focus on your strengths. If exercise is difficult for you, think about ways to make it easier on yourself. Try exercising with friends—this can actually make exercise fun—or join an online support group where people are going through similar struggles. Remember that you’re not alone: All fitness journeys look different, but we all share certain goals and struggles.

4) Be Kind to Yourself
Whether you’re reaching your goals or falling short, be kind to yourself. If you push too hard, you’ll just end up struggling—and not thriving—as much as possible. Instead of beating yourself up over small setbacks, remember that success isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being consistent. The more consistent you are with your healthy habits, the healthier you will thrive in all aspects of life!

5) Set Goals That Inspire You
As cliche as it may be, goals are important. If you don’t have goals, how will you know where you want to go? You can’t just run around aimlessly—even if that makes for good reality TV! To set goals that inspire you, start by defining what being fit means to you. Having trouble finding your motivation? Look up inspirational stories of other people who have accomplished great things through exercise or fitness. If they can do it, so can you!

6) Surround Yourself With Positivity
Staying fit takes time, commitment, and focus. If you want to thrive, you’ve got to surround yourself with positive influences that will help keep you on track. Staying motivated isn’t always easy, but having friends or family members who can encourage you when things get tough will make all of the difference. These are people who truly believe in your ability to achieve your goals—and they won’t let you settle for anything less than what you’re capable of!

7) Focus on One Thing at a Time
It’s easy to get distracted by extraneous things while trying to lose weight or stay healthy, but you should focus on one thing at a time. Start off by changing your diet for two weeks—get rid of all processed foods and sugar, add more vegetables, and stick with lean meats. Then, move on to exercise: Aim for 40 minutes of walking each day. Once you’ve reached that goal, see if you can add another 15–20 minutes of walking throughout your week.

8) Keep Moving Forward
Sometimes, you’ll find people in your life who don’t want you to reach your fitness goals. Whether they don’t believe in fitness or they think that you won’t achieve your goals, these people can be toxic influences on your journey. Learn how to distance yourself from negative influence and start thriving as a healthy person.

9) Don't Let Negative People Influence Your Decisions
The people you surround yourself with have a great deal of influence on your actions. That’s why it’s crucial not to let negative people into your life. Instead, choose friends who bring out your best qualities instead of dragging you down. In addition, try taking up new hobbies or sports where you can make friendships with similarly minded individuals who will support you in reaching your fitness goals.

10) Be Grateful
Gratitude is an antidote for stress. Research has shown that practicing gratitude can increase happiness, improve mental and physical health, strengthen relationships, and help you achieve success in your career. Be grateful for what you have: be grateful even if it’s not perfect. Gratitude will allow you to thrive no matter what’s going on around you.