4 Habits You Can Change Today to Live a Healthy Lifestyle
Have you wanted to change your life but are unsure where to start? Have you been ahead with making too many changes at once and then falling back into old habits after a week?
Yeah, me too. Changing habits can be a struggle, but it is all about mindset and perspective. When changing habits, I tend to think about the long-term effects of those changes. What kind of life do I want to live later in life?
So when I want to make as many changes as possible, I realize that is impossible. Small changes over time can make a massive difference in the long run. Changing one thing at a time makes it easier to make other lifestyle changes for longevity.
Disclaimer: these are my experience, tips, and tricks, as I am not a physician, personal trainer, or dietitian with credentials. If you have any real medical issues or needs to address, please consult a professional.
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Here are some changes you can easily make, in stages or all at once, depending on your mindset and motivation. These things cost no money and will kick-start your long-term healthy living goals.
Get up Early
I’m not talking about getting up crazy early, but whatever works for you. I feel like 5:30 am is a perfect time to get up daily. I am up at 3:30 am for work everyday, so on my days off, sleeping in is waking up at 5:30 am. It helps, in the long run, to keep my sleep schedule consistent.
By getting up early, I feel like I am much more productive. There are fewer distractions, and I can focus on the tasks I need to complete. So my suggestion to ease into changing this habit is to get up a little earlier every day. Do you usually get up at 10 am? Then, start waking up at 9 am for a week, 8 am the following week, and so on until you get up at your ideal time.
When I get up, I like to start by making the bed. I did a tiny productive thing to set the tone for my day. Then, I take my dog outside, make some coffee and begin my work for the day.
Go for a Walk
Going for a walk is such an easy, cost-free habit you can change, especially if you sit at a desk all day or have very little physical activity. Do you have a dog? Maybe take a break mid-morning and take your dog for a 30 min walk. Even if you don’t have a dog, going for a 30 min walk or a walk around the block can be helpful to increase your activity.
Start small; once you make going for a walk a part of your day, maybe change it up. Search YouTube for short workout videos of your choice. There are so many free workout videos available!
Also, a tip for those who work a physical job and go for a walk doesn’t sound appealing. Trust me; I get it. I work a physically demanding job as well, but I find that the repetitiveness of my job causes some issues. So, yoga or stretching is a great option instead of a walk. You can offset the repetitiveness of most physically demanding jobs by doing yoga or stretching out tight muscles. My issue usually ends up with tight hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors, which then, if I do not actively stretch and work out, I start getting low back issues.
Make Healthy Food Choices
Say, you are often choosing fast food, junk food, or candy and not thinking about your food and what it does for your body. Start by being mindful about what you eat and portion sizes; maybe swap some junk food with healthy food choices. Start with one meal. Do you start your morning with a bowl of oatmeal? Add some berries, nuts, and honey to satisfy that sweetness.
Starting the day with a healthier food choice can kickstart the whole day, and you will be more likely to continue that trend. Next meal time, you’ll feel great and want to continue making healthier foods. Do you often get fast food for lunch? Opt for a salad instead of that burger. Is it the best healthy food? No, but it is more nutritious than a fast-food burger.
I know that making healthy food choices can be daunting when you have no clue where to start. Pinterest is an excellent resource for healthy recipes; check out my Healthy Portions Board for ideas. After quite some time of cooking and measuring out my healthy portions, I don’t need a lot of inspiration for food ideas. But sometimes, I have a hard time coming up with ideas for healthy foods, so finding ideas on Pinterest is my go-to.
Another go-to for recipe ideas is HelloFresh, a meal delivery service. I love it because it takes the “what’s for dinner” out of the equation. I am not a picky eater, and I love every single meal I have gotten from HelloFresh. It comes with pre-measured fresh ingredients and step-by-step recipe cards. Not only will this service help with portion sizes, but if you have zero cooking skills like I did when I started the service, it will help you learn some basic skills you can apply to other recipes. If you use my link, you will get $40 off your order!
Get Enough Rest
This one has been a hard lesson about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Since I work so early every day, it can be a challenge getting to bed early and at the same time every night, as well as resisting the urge to nap after work. I have not slept lately, resting briefly and getting to bed early. It dramatically affects my overall well-being and productivity during the day. That motivates me to get to bed close to the same time every day.
My tip for going to sleep at the same time every night is to pick a time to get your ideal amount of sleep. For me, 6 or 7 hours feels best; anything more makes me tired all day. So since I have to be up at 330am for work, I try to be asleep by 830pm every night.
Bonus Tip: Drink Water
Everyone needs water to live. They say that the amount of water you should drink daily is equivalent to half your weight in oz. Say you weigh 150lbs, so you must drink 75oz of water, for example. Plus another 8oz per 30 minutes of working out. Remember that many foods also contain water, so you should be fine if you don’t drink precisely 75oz of water daily.
My biggest tip for drinking more water is always to keep a large water bottle within reach. My favorite water bottle is metal with a straw. It keeps my water cold for an extended time, and the straw makes it much easier to drink. This 32oz water bottle is a great affordable option. You can aim to simply drink two full bottles to get enough water each day.
Another tip to ease into adding more water is swapping soda for flavored seltzer water such as Bubbly or Ahha. This will provide you with the bubbles you’re used to and something more flavored than water. These aren’t my favorite, but if I am craving something with bubbles, I’d choose these over soda.
You can’t make a million changes overnight, but start small; maybe you start by getting up early every day for a few weeks. Then, add in walking every day for a couple of weeks. All while making healthier food choices - choosing fruit over candy or salad over a burger - little swaps, slowly setting a specific time to go to bed, and making a conscious effort to sleep. Soon enough, getting up early, adding some physical activity, healthy food choices, and getting enough sleep will all become healthy habits.
You may find that it’ll be much easier to make other healthy habits in your life after integrating these healthy habits into your daily routine. What are your tips and tricks for a healthy lifestyle? How do you get physical activity into your day? What are your go-to ways to get make healthy food choices?
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If you are here and reading this, that means you have an interest in your health and fitness. That is so good; I am so excited for you! Taking care of your body is the best thing you can do for yourself in the present and the long term.
“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”
— unknown
I find that quote so inspiring. Hard work will pay off in the future, but you must also live in the moment, and taking care of yourself is doing both. You are doing good for yourself now and for your future self.
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