Let’s face it. Living healthy can be easier said than done. With literally millions of trendy diet gurus trying to make their way into your kitchen and with all the free advice sales pitches filling up our social media feeds, it can be so dang confusing and overwhelming knowing what we should do!
But notice, I said living healthy can be easier said than done. The key word is can be….the good news is it doesn’t have to be hard. Hola! Living healthy can become a reality for you too with just a few simple changes you can start making today!
If someone comes at you claiming to have the latest and greatest weight-loss whatever….either kindly say no thank you or simply ignore it or both. For one, there is no magic weight loss pill, patch, drink, or quick fixer diet that will provide you with a healthy life. Period. Now granted, some of those products may indeed give you some energy, make you feel better and even help you shed a few pounds, but without a solid handle on your nutrition and activity, those band-aides will inevitably fall off. #yuck You cannot reach optimal wellness by simply taking a product alone. It does require long lasting commitment and more importantly, not just a transformation of the body, but of the mind as well.
In my last few years of semi being a part of the fitness world, I’ve noticed several things in common amongst those fit and healthy people. With the biggest noticeable characteristic is their consistency. This is where the life lasting comes in…they aren’t just trying to be healthy for a one time event or New Year’s Resolution, but rather more for themselves and their own well-being….and they do it every day. It just seems to come natural.
Here’s what I’ve noticed that healthy and fit people have in common:
They drink water. Well, mainly water. They may enjoy their morning or evening coffee or even an occasional glass or two of wine with dinner, but for the most part, water is their primary drink of choice.
They plan ahead and are organized. They not only schedule their workouts, but keep a dayplanner and to do list in order to more efficiently get things done!
They get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Healthy people understand the importance of sleep and the role it has in keeping their body healthy. They may even go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning…even if they don’t have to!
They eat real food instead of processed, fake foods. They don’t skip meals and they eat a healthy balance of carbs, protein and fat.
They have goals. They set goals of what they want to achieve and they create an action plan to actually achieve it. I’ve also noticed about healthy people is that they are fully aware of their failures too, but those failures don’t set them back, but rather serve as a learning curve that only motivates them to reach their goals even quicker.
They pack their lunch. They are prepared with what they’ll eat throughout the day instead of falling victim to the vending machine or drive-through window.
They hang out with other healthy and fit people. Meaning, they have accountability partners and mentors who inspire and encourage them. Let’s face it, it’s human nature to want to hang out with other like-minded people.
They are active. Not just with their workouts, but they go for walks in the park, they hike, they run….they can’t not be active.
They appreciate self-improvement. I’ve noticed healthy people care about their brain health, too. Whether it be reading or attending seminars or workshops, they are always looking for ways to grow their mind, improve themselves and take on new challenges.
They enjoy life. They don’t allow dietary labels or restrictions to control what they eat or how they live everyday. When you’re not on a “diet” then there are no rules. If there are no rules, then there is no cheating. If there is no cheating, there is not guilt.
Keep in mind, achieving optimal health does not happen overnight. It’s a process…a lifelong process at that. It takes daily commitment. But the good news is that it’s possible. All it takes is the decision to do it.
Live healthy my friends! <3