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When your upcoming calendar includes social events such as family reunions, work potlucks or holiday gatherings, don't worry about falling off the healthy habit wagon. Read these healthy tips to help you stick to your health goals.
Most people are familiar with what they need to do to make healthy lifestyle changes stick: Think about what you really want, set specific goals, find support and accountability, and put a plan in place. But then a high school reunion or a family cookout comes up, and everything you've put into practice the months prior seems to fall apart. You might feel like all of your previous efforts have been ruined and you have to start over. But do you?
An increasingly popular topic among behavior change specialists and psychologists is self-regulation: the ability to manage emotions and impulses — in other words, to think before you react. For instance, to prevent overeating at your next social gathering, you could plan to socialize with people away from the food table.
Or if you have an obligation that conflicts with your favorite exercise class, restructure your day so that you can still fit in a workout. Imagining yourself behaving differently and having that specific plan in place before the event is a critical part of the process.
Want to leave your next gathering feeling proud of your choices? Here are some tips to get you started:
Forward thinking is the springboard for success. Anticipating challenges ahead of time and seeing yourself follow through with your plan can lead to greater confidence in your ability to sustain healthy choices.
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