See if this scenario sounds familiar: you decide it's time to move your health forward, once and for all. You choose a program that makes sense for where you want to take your health and fitness, and you dive in head first. For a week--or maybe even two--everything is going well.

Then, motivation wanes, and the thoughts of "I'll just start again on Monday" start to creep in.

If this sounds like your experience with motivation to exercise, you're not alone. Many people find themselves searching terms like "how to keep yourself motivated" and "ways to motivate yourself to workout" in hopes of finding a secret key to make them want to get moving again.

Here, we'll go over some tips and tricks for setting goals that you'll keep working toward even when motivation wanes, look over the benefits of exercise for your mind and body, and dig into some simple tactics you can use to keep your body moving for the long haul.

Why does exercise matter? Motivation for lifting weights, doing cardio, and more

When you've been out of the habit of working out for a while, it can be easy to forget how great working out makes you feel. Both the immediate and long-term benefits of working out mean that getting sweaty a few times a week is well worth your while.

Immediate benefits of exercise include:

• Improved brain health, including reduction of anxiety
• Improved sleep
• Reduced blood pressure
• Improved academic performance due to increased focus and memory

In addition to the benefits of exercise that you feel right after your workout, it's also important to keep in mind the benefits that you'll experience over time.

Long-term benefits of exercise can include:

• Regulation of body weight
• Increased bone strength
• Increased cardiovascular health
• Reduced risk of depression
• Reduced risk of chronic disease (including type 2 diabetes)

Setting the right goals

Sometimes, understanding the benefits of exercise isn't quite enough to inspire us to get moving. Setting a goal that's specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound--also known as a SMART goal--can keep you moving even when your initial motivation begins to fade.

Let's take a look at each facet of setting a SMART goal.

Specific

Goals like "lose weight" or "get fit" sound good in theory, but there's no way to know when you've achieved your goal. When you choose a specific goal--such as getting to a certain body fat percentage, being able to run a specific distance, or going for a walk every night after dinner--you're able to stay motivated as you see yourself checking goals off, one by one.

Measurable

When setting your goal, be sure you have a measurable outcome you're working toward, such as getting a specific number of workouts in each week or meeting your step goal a certain number of days in the month. Using a fitness tracker is a simple way to measure your daily movement.

Achievable

Setting your sights high is fantastic--but you want to make sure that your goal is achievable. Sometimes, setting massive goals--like running a marathon or losing 50 pounds--can deter motivation, as they feel insurmountable. Breaking down a large goal into smaller goals can work wonders to keep you on track. For example, if you'd eventually like to run a marathon, the first step toward your goal might be going for a 20-minute run four times each week after work.

If you're not sure what an appropriate goal is for your fitness level, talking with your doctor or a certified personal trainer can be a great start to give you some ideas. Work to create a goal that's at the nexus of challenge and ability--you want a goal that's tough, but by no means impossible.

Relevant

Your goal only needs to matter to one person: you. When choosing a SMART goal, be sure that it has importance in your life. For example, if you're not interested in running, clocking a 5K in under 25 minutes probably isn't going to motivate you to get your workouts in. Health-related goals are often a good fit: for example, setting a goal to lower your blood pressure, to move away from a pre-diabetic status, or to get to improve your cardiovascular function can help.

Time-bound

It's important to give yourself a deadline when it comes to achieving your goal. This can help you stay on track on the days you don't quite feel like getting to work. Marking your deadline on a calendar can help you stay committed.

Staying motivated to work out: Switch it up

Tired of your standard routine? Trying something new to get your heart rate moving can be a great way to shake it up and stay motivated. If you typically go for daily walks, trying a fitness class with a friend can allow you to socialize and challenge your body in a new way.

If you enjoy exercising outdoors, changing your workout to go with the seasons can be the perfect way to both utilize different muscles and keep your mind interested in your workouts. Swimming in the summer, hiking in the fall, getting bundled up and taking the dog for a walk in the winter--all of these options can help you enjoy the benefits of fresh air while keeping you motivated to include healthy movement in your day.

Get support

When it comes to staying on track toward your health and fitness goals, it's vital to develop a solid support network. Working out with like-minded friends can both give you the support you need to stay on track and motivate you to stick to your movement schedule, even on days where you'd rather curl up on the couch. Simply setting up a group at work to remind one another to drink water during the day can help you move toward your goals. Online workout communities can also be a fun way to interact with others who are working to get moving.

Evidation: Wellness data that moves you forward

At Evidation, we don't just give you the health data you need to understand where you're starting--we meet you where you're at and reward you for moving forward. Download the app today to learn how you can put your health data to work.

February 27 through March 5, 2023 is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, 

“an annual campaign to educate the public about the realities of eating disorders and to provide hope, support, and visibility to individuals and families affected by eating disorders.”

Almost 30 million people in America struggle with eating disorders. And though eating disorders are common, they receive less funding and attention than many other mental health disorders, making support options hard to come by.

Eating disorder awareness is important so that individuals who are affected by them can get help. Eating disorders tend to get worse over time, and sometimes cause long-term health problems, but early identification of an eating disorder can mitigate long-term risks. 

Read on to learn how you can develop a healthy relationship with food and determine if you or someone you know may need help overcoming an eating disorder.

How do you know if you have an eating disorder?

Food is nourishment for all the complex processes your body needs to carry out. It provides energy, gives your brain fuel to think and dream, you even need food in the form of calories when you sit still and do nothing. But not everyone has a healthy relationship with food and recognizing an eating disorder can be challenging. If you find that you eat too much or too little, feel guilty when you eat, or struggle with any of the following symptoms, you should consider reaching out for help.

• Self-induced vomiting
• Taking laxatives, diuretics, or diet pills other than as prescribed by your doctor
• Chewing food then spitting it out in the trash or a napkin
• Obsessing about your food’s cleanliness
• Feeling overweight even when you lose weight or are at a healthy weight
• Obsessing about your body image
• Having low body weight
• Having impulsive or irregular eating habits such as a desire to eat only one type of food
• Misusing insulin normally prescribed for diabetics, even if you are diabetic
• Feeling depressed, anxious, guilty, or disgusted with yourself when you eat food
• Talking excessively about food
• Cooking food but then won’t eat it
• Are always low energy
• Recently suffered an emotional trauma and can’t eat because of it
• Don’t want to talk about what you eat, or don’t eat with others

If you or anyone you know is struggling with any of the above symptoms, or if you’d like more information on how to recognize an eating disorder, there are several free online tools available. 

Mental Health America has a free online screening tool here. And The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) has a free screening tool here for anyone ages 13 and up.  

For support, resources, or treatment options for yourself or a loved one who’s struggling with an eating disorder, you can contact the NEDA Helpline by calling or texting (800) 931-2237. You can also use their live chat option here.

Here’s how you can have a healthy relationship with food

Eating disorders are serious medical and mental health issues which can lead to long-term health problems. That’s why it’s important to speak up and spread awareness, but it’s also important to provide resources and support. 

And it’s important to talk about developing a healthy relationship with food to help prevent eating disorders from developing and to help those currently struggling. 

7 tips for developing healthy eating habits

1. Don’t binge eat and then diet. Do eat healthy meals, consistently, several times a day at the same time every day. Not only does binge eating wreak havoc on your hormones, excessive dieting following a binge can sometimes cause you to develop an eating disorder. 

While scientists are still learning to understand what exactly causes eating disorders, it's clear that people who struggle with anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorders have different brain chemistry than people who don’t, and that a binge-diet cycle can harm brain chemistry.

2. Make sure you're eating enough healthy calories. If you suffer from anorexia or bulimia, you could possibly have an unrealistic viewpoint of your body. This can cause you to refuse food or eat too little. For an accurate estimate of how many calories you should consume daily to stay healthy depending on your age, height, and activity levels, check this calorie counting tool. 
3. Eat mindfully. Develop healthy eating habits one day and one food at a time. Do you tend to sit in front of the television with a gallon of ice cream and all of a sudden you look down and it’s gone? Don’t lambast yourself for binging, just decide to eat more mindfully, taking time to savor what you eat, without watching TV, texting, or doing anything but savoring your food. Check in with your body after each bite, and ask yourself, “Have I had enough?” We tend to eat more when we’re distracted, so you can make sure you’re not binging by paying attention to the act of eating itself. 
4. Choose snacks wisely. Depending on your activity levels, you may need a snack to keep your blood sugar levels from dropping. Smaller meals throughout the day are sometimes essential for athletes, people with physically demanding jobs, or people who have larger caloric needs, such as when they're breastfeeding or pregnant. Harvard suggests a healthy snack if you anticipate going several hours without food and your blood sugar levels tend to fluctuate. If you get hungry in the evening, try eating complex carbohydrates or healthy fats rather than sugary snacks. Sugary snacks can spike your blood sugar, causing cortisol levels to increase. Cortisol is a stress hormone. It can cause a “wake up” signal to travel through the brain which disrupts your circadian rhythms, or natural sleep-wake cycles, making it impossible for your body to know when to sleep.
5. Get healthy sleep. A lack of sleep can cause disruptions in the creation of two important hunger hormones, ghrelin and leptin. One regulates when you feel full, and the other regulates your appetite. Without these hormones in balance, you’re more likely to overeat. There are also links between lack of sleep and obesity. Lack of sleep can also cause elevated stress levels, and some people react to stress by not eating enough. 
6. Write down your feelings instead of eating them. Food is a quick go-to for many people because it can relieve stress and provide relief from anxiety. When you eat sugary or starchy foods, it causes an instant serotonin and dopamine reward in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating our mood, and dopamine is a similar chemical hormone that “rewards” us for certain actions we take. While you can get a quick fix from eating, it’s possible to become addicted to the fast dump of these neurochemicals without realizing that what you eat may cause a subsequent cascade of less than desirable stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Instead of getting your serotonin and dopamine from a binge session, try other positive habits that also regulate your mood and reward you with dopamine like expressing gratitude or doing light aerobic exercise.
7. Journal your food intake. Try keeping a log of what you eat in a week so that you have a realistic view of how much or little food you eat. If you write down the times you eat as well as what you eat, you’ll also sometimes notice patterns, like eating out of boredom at certain times in the day, or when you feel stressed. Once you’ve written down what you eat and when, sit with the information and determine if you might be eating too much or too little. If you tend to overeat, contemplate ways to do something to assuage your boredom that’s healthy instead, like spending time in nature, or talking to a good friend that makes you laugh. If you tend to eat too little, write down why you might be depriving yourself of life-giving food. Is there an underlying emotion that needs to surface?

How to get help for an eating disorder

If you think you or someone you know may have an eating disorder, you can get help. Reach out to a medical or mental health provider near you. 

If that isn’t an option for you, or it isn’t the right option, The National Eating Disorder Association has resources, support, and live help options.

There is hope

You can develop a healthy relationship with food even if you currently have an eating disorder. Be sure to reach out for help and try to slow down, eat mindfully, and give yourself time to process deeper emotions like sadness and grief by writing them in a journal. It can also help to keep a log of what and when you eat for a week, so you can have a realistic picture of your relationship with food and eating. If you or someone you love is suffering from an eating disorder, get help. You’re not alone.

Get more health and wellness tips. Download the app today.

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Every October, National Dental Hygiene Month aims to raise awareness about the importance of regular dental care and good dental hygiene. 

Why is dental hygiene so important? 

Because oral health can have a big impact on our overall health. 

For example, did you know that poor oral health (like gum disease and tooth loss) are associated with higher rates of heart disease? 

Or that signs of some major health conditions can be seen in our teeth, gums, and mouth?

According to the Mayo Clinic, the following conditions can be linked to or affected by oral health: 

• Endocarditis
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Complications with birth or pregnancy
• Pneumonia
• Diabetes
• HIV/AIDS
• Osteoporosis
• Alzheimer’s Disease

And since there is no greater expert on the subject than a dentist, we decided to reach out to one of our Achievement members (who also happens to be a dentist!) for more information. 

Responses from a Dentist and Achievement Member 

What is the number one most important thing we can do for our dental hygiene?

“Keep your mouth clean and get regular dental checkups. Brushing and flossing are super important, but so are regular dental exams. Regular exams are crucial for finding issues like cavities and gum disease and some major health conditions while in an early stage.” 

Why is good dental hygiene important (besides for pretty teeth!)?

“Because your mouth is part of your body and it needs to be kept in good condition so your overall health is good.” 

How does good dental hygiene affect my overall health?

“For instance, 

• There is a connection between cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease.
• Diabetes can be complicated by mouth sores or infections. 
• In children, if oral hygiene and nutrition are not good, it can affect growth of permanent teeth and can have an impact on speech.
• Oral health is more than just cosmetics. It can have financial implications, too. Individuals with broken or missing teeth often have difficulty finding work or face social stigmas.
• Problems with your teeth, gum, or mouth can cause headaches, sore teeth, etc.” 

Is flossing really important?

“Yes! It removes material that a brush can’t get to!” 

What is one thing you wish more people knew about oral health?

“That if you take care of your teeth, and handle any issues that do come up when they're small, you can save a lot of money and pain. And have a better experience at the dentist.” 

What else do you think we should know about oral health?

“I wish pediatricians and other providers would teach new mothers about the importance of oral health in their children” 

What is the best part about being a dentist?

“I like to help people feel better! There are a lot of fun challenges in dentistry, sophisticated procedures like implants and such. But, for me, helping someone with smaller, routine things like fillings can be just as rewarding.” 

Dena S. Babin, DDS