During this whole coronavirus, I have really been thinking about how I can be healthier. Mind, body, and spirit. We are either too busy or too stressed out to really reach our goals.
Making big changes in our health is actually more likely to not stick. By making smaller baby steps at a time, that is how we achieve lasting change. Here I will share ideas that you can try right NOW that will lead to an overall healthier you.
Drink at least half a gallon of water a day. By getting in half a gallon, then you can increase it to one full gallon of water a day. Drinking enough water has always been a struggle for me, but taking it down a notch was a much more achievable goal to start with.
Get a full night’s sleep. Yes, I mean a full 8 hours! I know this can be hard, but making this a priority will actually expand your life. Those who sleep longer, live longer. This is a must for me, as bed time is my favorite time.
Don’t skip a meal. It may be hard at times to eat breakfast, or lunch, or even dinner. Days go by and before you know it, lunch has past. By eating at every meal, you’ll be less likely to over eat at the next! So make sure you’re watching the clock and eating at mealtimes.
Take the time to decompress. If you’re anything like me, decompressing after a long day is a must. I love to journal or meditate to refresh my body for the next day. You can write in a journal, do yoga go for a hike, or even take deep breathes.
Commit to at least 30 minutes of daily exercise. This can be a hard one for a lot of people because the day just seems to go by so quickly. Commit to at least 30 minutes to being active. That can be as simple as going for a walk, or hitting the gym hard. Either way, put your body first and you’ll thank yourself later.
Stop using a scale. Oh, how I hate scales. Maybe once a month, or once every other month this can be a good thing, but definitely not every week. When you are working out and trying hard, then get on the scale and don’t see a change that can be very discouraging.
However, a change in number isn’t the only important thing. Muscle weighs more than fat, so when you’re working out and eating right and still seeing no change, most likely you have more muscle, which weighs more than the fat. So ditch the scale today and lean more on progress pictures.
Go outside every day! Every night we go on either a walk or a bike ride as a family. It’s so much fun to have that time to be together with no distractions. We all come home tired and ready for a shower, then a movie and bed. It’s the perfect way to end any day.
Stay committed to your goals 7 days a week. Don’t give yourself any days off. Saturdays and Sundays aren’t the days to be making unhealthy choices, no day of the week is.
Focus on standing more during your day. This can be hard if you have more of a desk job. Find ways to stand up and work instead of always sitting. You’ll feel better and more energized throughout your work day.
Make healthy choices for snacks. Try putting a yogurt in the freezer. That’s a yummy and healthy snack! I also love to get in one cup of fruit, and two cups of vegetables a day. Snack time is perfect to get those in! And leaves me feeling energized instead of slugish.
Figure out what your motivator is in your life. If you truly want to achieve your goals, you need something highly motivating to get you there. For me, I love having ice cream on Saturday. I have my favorite ice cream place and celebrate reaching my goals by getting my favorite thing. It’ll help push you there even when you want to give up.
Get rid of the “I can’t do it” mentality. You can! This is a major pet peeve of mine, because you can do whatever you believe. If you believe you can’t, you can’t. But if you believe you can, then I promise, you will! Stop the negative self talk and stop getting in your own way. YOU GOT THIS!
Reaching your goals can be one healthy decision at a time away. It doesn’t have to be hard. Find one thing you can start improving on and tackle it! When you get that goal mastered, move on to the next. Pretty soon, you’ll be living your dream life all because of one small choice at a time.
Are you already doing any of these? What works for you? And what is the next goal you’re committing to? For me, I’m committing to eating healthier. I love good food, but how I feel after is not how I want to feel. I can’t wait to see how my body feels by putting in what it truly needs, instead of only what it craves.
All my love,
Talesha