“Above all, you have to ensure that your goals are achievable,” Wagenaar continues. “If you suddenly go for a 20-kilometer walk two days in a row, that will give you muscle pain and that will allow you to put an end to it right away. It is better to build up carefully. That also applies to losing weight. Set yourself the goal of 20 Losing a kilo is good in itself, but be especially happy if you lose two kilos first “.
“There are also many people who want to eat less meat, for example, and you also have to think about that in advance. Then you have to cook differently and make sure that you do get all the nutrients. You could organize an information evening about vegetarian cuisine, for example. So prepare well for what you are going to do,” says Wagenaar.
The clinical psychologist also believes that it is better to write down your plans. “So you have to take small steps to make the new behavior your own, so that you no longer have to think about it. Putting your plans on paper first can help, but it is also good to share your good intentions with others. share so that they can encourage you if you are having a hard time. For example, if you want to move more, you can also do that in a running group, then you can encourage each other to keep going.”
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