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 your social media feeds, it can be so dang confusing and overwhelming knowing what you should do!
But notice, I said living healthy can be easier said than done. Seriously, the good news is it doesn’t have to be complicated. Hola! Living healthy can become a reality for you too by focusing on creating healthy habits and 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-aids 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 naturally.
Here are my favorite things you can start doing today that can help you create healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
Drink more water.
Well, mainly water. While we may enjoy our morning or evening coffee or even an occasional glass or two of wine with dinner, for the most part, water should be our primary drink of choice.
Plan ahead and get organized.
Just like the other millions of us, you probably keep a day planner to help you manage your day. Scheduling your workouts should be included in that plan! Writing it down helps keep you more accountability and increases your odds of actually getting it done.
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. Make it a routine/habit to go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning…even if when you don’t have to!
Eat real food instead of processed, fake foods.
This includes not skipping meals and especially eating a healthy balance of carbs, protein, and fat.
Have goals.
When you write out your goals include an action plan of how you’re going to achieve it. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge your failures as well. We all have them so don’t allow those failures to set you back, but rather serve as a learning curve that only motivates you to reach your goals even quicker.
Pack your lunch.
My favorite meal planning hack is not necessarily spending hours in the kitchen planning for your week, but simply making sure you have your next meal prepared. Leftovers are your friend! Save everything so you can be prepared instead of falling victim to the vending machine or drive-through window.
Hang out with other healthy and fit people.
Meaning, have accountability partners and mentors who inspire and encourage you. Let’s face it, it’s human nature to want to hang out with other like-minded people.
Get active.
Not just with you scheduled workouts, but go for walks in the park, hike, run, play a game of basketball or dance! Movement doesn’t have to take place in your basement or even in the gym, but simply get your heart rate up and just move!
Read personal growth books.
Let’s face it, your brain health is just as important as your physical health, but is all too often ignored. Whether it be reading or attending seminars or workshops, consider how you can grow your mind and take on new challenges.
Practice self-care.
Too often we focus most of our time on other people such as our family, husband, children, friendships and even our job and forget that WE must be taken care of as well. We also tend to feel guilty when we do for ourself instead of putting others first. As you begin your new year, think of how you can take care of you. This may be as simple as soaking in a warm tub, getting a massage or stepping out to the coffee shop to meet with a friend. You must learn to fill your own cup before you are able fill other’s. 😉
Keep a gratitude and daily journal.
Your struggles, your wins, your goals, how you feel, what you’re eating, what you’re drinking, how much you’re sleeping, how much you’re exercising and how much you’re pooping. Yes, everything. Journaling will double your success rate so it doesn’t matter if it’s on a napkin or a pretty notebook, keep it with you and track everything.
Don’t forget to write down what you’re thankful for as well. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we WANT that we forget to focus on what we HAVE.
Enjoy life.
Don’t allow dietary labels or restrictions to control what you eat or how you live every day. 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 no 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. It’s just like one of my weight loss clients recently said to me, “One step, one choice, one bite at a time – something changes when something changes!”
Live healthy my friends! <3
Learn more about Nourish, where I’ve been helping clients lose that weight and fat they’ve never been able to lose before – all without sacrificing or feeling like crap while they’re doing it.
When you finish this plan you’ll feel more confident about yourself, what to eat (and eating out), and can finally stop dieting and start living!