Making sustainable health resolutions can be great for improving lifelong health which is why we have teamed up with guest blogger, Deanna Robinson, founder of Deanna Robinson Fitness to provide ways to help you stay motivated through your fitness journey. Here are some tips from Deanna that will help you stay focused.

Spending more time outdoors, visiting your doctor, eating more whole foods, getting better quality and quantity of sleep, and being more present. But what about when the noble mood that you made those health and fitness resolutions in may be fleeting. As the trumpets sound, in walks your accountability partner to offer up some motivation and advice to rev your engine again. There is power in accountability because you know someone else cares about your success too. A good accountability partner should be someone who is challenging, but not critical. They should be able to check you in love; someone in your corner who can be honest and supportive. “Commitment is doing what you said you would, long after the mood you said it in has left.” Sometimes that takes some re-up on motivation though—so here are some keys to accountability:

1. You won't always be as motivated as you were when you first started. Motivation has its good and bad days. The key is to keep putting one foot in front of the other even when you don't feel like it. Remember it's a lifestyle, not a momentary fad.
    
2. Progress won't always be linear. Just like life has its ups and downs, your wellness accomplishments do as well. Stay the course and don't get discouraged or defeated when you notice a zig-zag in your results. Looking for additional inspiration? Try these 10 tips to boost your mood!
    
3. Find an accountability partner. You need someone in your life that you trust to help you stay the course. When they see you fall off, they are sure to bring you up on it and get you back on track in a loving (or tough love) way.
    
4. Maintain a healthy balance. You don't have to burn yourself out in the gym 7 days a week and eat a diet like a rabbit every single day to maintain healthiness. It's important to find a healthy balance of foods you like to eat and activities you like to do. These protein-rich snacks will provide long-lasting energy throughout your day.
    
5. If you fall off, get right back on. You WILL fall off. The only question is, how long? Whether it's a day, a few weeks, or even a year or two, it's important that you make the decision to get back to your healthy lifestyle and not make your unhealthy habits a lifelong setback.
    
6. Sleep and recovery time are just as important as the workout. Rest is just as important in keeping healthy as activity. If your body does not get a chance to rest and recover, it cannot maintain a healthy function or meet your expectations for progress no matter how great your other wellness routines are.
    
7. Your wellness goals should not be solely about aesthetics, but the overall quality of life. We don't live a healthy lifestyle just to always look good in our favorite pair of jeans. There are hundreds of benefits to living well that don't involve aesthetics. You can definitely use these wins as encouragement, but take into account how you may feel better, you may be more confident, you have more zest for life, you have more energy during the day, etc. These factors should all be your motivation as well.
    

Video and print materials appearing on the Health Matters Blog do not constitute medical advice or create a provider-patient relationship.   Participation in any program of exercise or health improvement may lead to illness or injury or exacerbate pre-existing conditions. Read more.