It’s June, and you are just now realizing that you missed the window to start training for your “summer beach bod”. Maybe you thought about it, tried for a few days, and gave up before you saw any results.

Perhaps you are at the point where you just want to shed a couple pounds so that you can stand taller, walk faster, and feel more at home in your own body. If you want specific habits to implement, go to 3 Unique Habits That Will Change Your Life.

Personally, over the span of three years, I have lost (and kept off) over 65 pounds and I am excited to share with you some tips on how you can achieve the goals that you have for yourself!

I would like to preface this article by saying I am not certified in nutrition, personal training, or life coaching… I am just an ex-athlete trying to improve his life a little bit each day, just like you are.

I know how intimidating it may seem to begin a journey for a healthy lifestyle, or perhaps to try yet again at getting back on track. While there is so much grace in this area, and nobody expects you to be perfect in your pursuit of health, there is a time-tested plan that can help you lose weight, keep it off, and become more confident in yourself.

• Health is NOT all or nothing.

There is such a stigma in the wellness industry that if you can’t do 100% then it’s not even worth trying. “Well, I can’t go to the gym for an hour today, so I will just stay home.” This mindset will kill your ability to sustain a healthy lifestyle.

A healthy lifestyle implies that it is something you will implement into your life. The thing about life is that it is constantly changing and circumstances come up all the time.

Did something happen in your family causing you to go out of town? You are leaving your habits of going to the gym and eating food at home, but you can still get steps in, go for a quick run, do some push-ups, or order a salad on the road instead of a number one, upsized, with extra fries.

• Track your movement and your diet.

You cannot know how well you are performing in something if it goes unchecked. You have performance metrics for every important thing you do. If you work in sales, you have goals. If you work in cinema, you have box office ratings. If you are a student, you are handed grades.

Every other area of your life that you are trying to improve requires that you track progress. Why would it be any different in your fitness life, especially if it is one of the most important things you can do for your health?

Tracking your movement and your diet sounds difficult to get on board with. However, there are multiple ways to do so. First, you can become obsessive. I do not recommend this, but you can track every step, every calorie, every drop of avocado oil that you add to your dinner. With the proper goals and accurate measuring, this can be a highly effective way to track physical progress. However, you must consider the emotional side of this as well.

One recommendation that I have for tracking your movement is to make sure you get 10,000 steps every day, workout for at least 30 minutes per day, and get a friend to do it with. Having someone help you track your progress will dramatically increase your chances of success.

• Have fun with fitness.

Yes, I said it! Fitness can be fun! You do not need to constantly dread going for a run or hitting the weights. I am not saying that exerting yourself and pushing your limits will always be fun, but it is a process that you can enjoy.

There are SO many ways to have fun and get fit at the same time. You could pick up a new sport, you could walk in the afternoons, you could get into running. As a long-distance runner, I can assure you that the more you run the more you will enjoy it. If you can cross the threshold of initial torture and train your body to push through hard challenges, a great reward awaits you.

These are three tips on increasing your mindset to take on this new healthy lifestyle. I want you to sustain this plan for years to come, to achieve your goals and be able to keep the weight off. I want you to be proud of how hard you work, the discipline you instill, and the new joy that gets added to your life. If you want information about how exercise can increase your emotional and spiritual life, read 3 Ways Exercise Can Increase Your Faith.

I am sure that a change in your mindset to do at least something everyday, track your progress, and find ways to have fun, that you will forever change your habits – and with it your life.