Many people start the year getting healthy, but it can be challenging to stick with your health goals week after week. When you start on your journey, it’s easy to say no to the unhealthy stuff; however, staying motivated overtime can be a different story.  No matter what comes your way, here’s how to stay motivated with your health goals. 

How Important is Motivation? 

Motivation is the driver in any goal and it keeps you going when you're faced with challenges. In fact, motivation is so important that without it you won’t move forward. 

The motivation to be healthy comes from within — and motivation is most powerful when you’re focused on achieving your goals for you, rather than someone else. It’s especially important to tap into that unstoppable force inside of you, as that drive will keep you going even when things get tough. Here's five ways to stay motivated on your journey:

1. Get an accountability partner

When it comes to staying motivated with health goals, it works better with a partner who will help cheer you on and vice versa. This is someone you can talk to about your challenges, send texts to for support, and basically hold each other accountable. 

2. Don’t aim to be perfect

Getting healthy does not call for perfection — there's a saying that goes "I'm not perfect, but I'm doing my best." And while none of us wants to fail, it’s inevitable that you’ll mess up every now and again because you're human. The best thing you can do is pick yourself back up again. Letting go of perfection also means being willing to refine your goals along the way and make tweaks to them if needed.

3. Make mini goals 

Many people set health goals and then forget them later. Instead, try setting mini goals to lift yourself forward and stay motivated. You can think of mini goals as steps toward your overall goal. They can be as simple as the things you need to do this week, such as buying new workout clothes or talking to your spouse about your goals. You can then take an overall goal, such as weight loss, and break it into mini goals for the number of pounds you want to lose per month. Reward yourself each time you hit a mini goal with something other than food. 

4. Embrace the discomfort

It might sound counter-intuitive, but the more comfortable you are with discomfort, the more likely you are to change. Instead of seeing discomfort as a reason to ditch your health goals, use it as a signal that you're on the right path. As you hit those mini goals, you'll be making progress and probably feeling a bit outside your comfort zone. Keep stretching and use it as motivation to keep challenging yourself.

5. Do meal prep

Success in the health department comes whenever you do a little prepping. Meal prepping can be as simple as cutting up your fruits and veggies each week. You can also spend one day making all your healthy meals for the entire week. While this can take up a lot of time, it keeps you from eating out, which will save you money and the extra calories. 

Again, you don’t need to be perfect to achieve your health goals, but it will be a lot of hard work, so staying motivated is key. Be patient with yourself. Expect it to be hard sometimes. But most of all, don't give up! Do you have any more tips for someone trying to stay motivated with their health goals?