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Strategies for Making Healthy Changes Last

Many people find it difficult to follow through on their plan to get healthy. Here are some tips to keep yourself on the road to success.

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Updated:

February 13, 2025

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While many people strive to be more physically active and to eat healthy, even the best-intentioned person can have difficulty maintaining their progress. The truth of the matter is that, regardless of the approach you take, things don't always go according to plan. Here are some helpful strategies you can follow to keep yourself on a healthy course.

Start Small

Based on your starting point, keep your goals achievable and your routine simple. Making significant changes too soon can lead to frustration and failure.

For any form of exercise, set reasonable goals. For example, if you are currently jogging for 20 minutes each day and want to jog 45 minutes per day, slowly build up your endurance by making small increases over time. A more achievable goal may be to increase your jogging time to 25 minutes per day. Do this until you are ready to increase your time by 5 minutes more.
The same is true for healthy eating. If you have decided to replace your usual daily snack of potato chips with a piece of fresh fruit, focus on developing that habit. Once you've been successful with this, build onto that feeling of accomplishment by making another healthful food choice as part of your eating routine.

Mix It Up

If you find it boring to follow the same eating or physical activity routine, this may cause you to gradually stop doing it. Periodically changing up your routine can keep things interesting (American Psychological Association, 2010).

This could include incorporating a new form of physical activity into your routine. For example, if you normally swim for exercise, try tennis or pickleball.
Likewise, try a new recipe or add a tasty new fruit or vegetable to your eating plan.

Make the Most of Your Time

It may be difficult to find time for physical activity when life gets busy. However, treat it just as you would any other commitment, such as cleaning, grocery shopping, or going to work. These things are often non-negotiable, right? Approach physical activity in the same way.

Schedule your physical activity before or after work, or during an expected break in your day. If you have it on your daily schedule, you are more likely to complete it.

Manage Your Stress

Take note of your stress level. It is easy to get derailed from your health goals when you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed. If you are stressed, talk to someone about what is bothering you.

Open up to a trusted friend or family member about the stressor. They may be able to offer some advice or just listen and allow you to "vent."
If your stress is more significant, consider reaching out to a mental health professional.

Practice Self-Care

You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. And a big part of that is honoring your own needs. Prioritize making time for physical activity and eating healthy meals and snacks. Doing so will keep you on track to meet the goals you have set for yourself.

Be Accountable

Share with others the plan you are following to achieve a healthier you (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics [AND], 2022). It can be motivating if you know they might ask you questions about your progress. Better yet, find a partner to join you in your journey! You can support each other.

For instance, tell your friends at work that you have begun walking during your lunch break and see if they want to join in. It is more fun when you have good company.

Try Technology

There are many devices and smartphone apps that can help you keep track of your progress (AND, 2022). For example, there are some apps that will allow you to record and manage your food intake, which can help you stick to your eating plan. In addition, Penn State Extension's "Boost Physical Activity with Smart Technology" fact sheet discusses apps that can help with exercise monitoring (Reed & Weinreb-Welch, 2022).

You can use a device to help you log your steps, calories burned, and sleep habits.
If you have a specific exercise in mind—such as swimming, hiking, running, or biking—find the device or app that is designed to help you track your progress.

Contrary to popular belief, the most important step to a healthier you is not just the first step. It is each one along the way. So, celebrate your successes and forgive yourself when you misstep. Change is a journey. And if you can string together enough steps in the right direction, the journey to a healthier you is one that you can absolutely achieve.