Deciding to choose a healthy lifestyle and start that journey is a big step in the right direction. So kudos to you. It's not going to be easy learning a new habit and in this case, way of life. It is rarely is but what will keep you motivated is remembering your WHY. There are all sorts of different reasons you might want to start a healthy lifestyle transformation. To look good naked, get fitter and stronger, improve your health and confidence, and feel better about yourself. Whatever the reason may be, keep it in mind anytime you feel to throw in the towel. Now that I've you're all fired up with your why I'm guessing you're asking yourself HOW? How should you get started on this health journey? This is where I come in again, in this article I've put together some tips and tricks to get you started and on your way to the next fabulous you, keep reading!
Start small and work your way up over time
"You just need to set small realistic goals that you can achieve in a month or a few months"
Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to do everything at once. You don't have to be a fitness expert or health guru to get started. You just need to set small realistic goals that you can achieve in a month or a few months. Once you've achieved those goals, set some new ones that are a little more challenging for the next time around. For example, if you want to exercise three times a week, try exercising twice a week for the first month and then add another session every month until you're up to three times per week. If you're interested in eating healthier foods, start by cutting out processed snacks from your diet. Then add more fruits and vegetables and whole grains over time as well as lean proteins like poultry and fish. If you're ready to start cooking healthy meals at home, start with easy recipes like grilled chicken breast with vegetables or salmon burgers with sweet potato fries. Once you start making changes and seeing results, it will be easier to keep going.
Create a plan
One of the most important things you can do to support your health is to create a plan. A plan doesn't have to be complicated and it doesn't have to take up a lot of time. It just needs to be something that you can come back to again and again. A good plan has three characteristics:
1. It's based on reality, not fantasy. You write down the facts about your current situation and what you want to achieve, then build your plan around those facts. Don't create goals that aren't realistic for where you are now, or ignore things that might get in the way of progress.
2. It's flexible enough to respond to change as needed. Plans are not set in stone, they should be to and can change as circumstances change. If something unexpected happens like getting sick, you'll need to adjust accordingly so that your plans still work for you over time instead of getting thrown off track by surprises.
3. It gives you something concrete to focus on during your journey instead of just hoping things turn out okay in the end.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
What are my goals? Do I want to lose weight? Gain weight? Maintain my weight? Get stronger? Improve my health? You can have more than one goal, for example: lose 20 pounds, build muscle mass and strength, eat healthier food, improve your energy level, and sleep better. What specific steps will I take to reach these goals? How much time do I have available to work out each week including the time it takes to travel to the gym? If you're already pressed for time, consider working out at home instead of going to a gym or studio. If this seems like too much commitment for now, try doing one or two half-hour workouts per week and see how it goes. What type of exercise do you enjoy? Some people love running or cycling, while others prefer weightlifting or yoga classes. Try out different types of physical activities until you find something that feels good for your body and mind. How will I measure my progress? Set dates for achieving each goal and stick to them.
Downloadable Fitness Planner
Pick the right workout
"Don’t get overwhelmed, start by choosing a workout that fits into your schedule and is something you enjoy doing"
It's easy to get caught up in the latest workout trends, but if you're not consistent with your routine, it's not going to help you reach your goals. Find a workout that you can be consistent with. If you have a busy schedule and don't have time for long workouts, try short ones. If you hate cardio, try something that includes strength training. There are hundreds of different workouts to choose from. Don’t get overwhelmed, start by choosing a workout that fits into your schedule and is something you enjoy doing, the best workouts are the ones that will keep you motivated enough to keep going week after week, month after month, and year after year. Some popular options include:
Cardio: walking, running, swimming, dancing, cycling
Strength training: weight lifting and body weight exercises
Yoga and Pilates: stretching, strength training, and balance
Boot camp-style classes: cardio, strength training, and flexibility
Eat Smart
Your diet is the foundation of your health and wellness, so if you want to feel better, look better and live longer, start with what you eat. Food makes up a large part of your daily life. It's something you have to eat every day, and it can be hard to make healthy choices when faced with so many options. But if you want to improve your health and live a healthier lifestyle, you are going to have to learn to make smarter choices with what you put in your body. Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Eat three balanced meals and two healthy snacks every day.
2. Choose foods that are high in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
3. Limit your intake of processed foods when possible.
4. Eat more fruits and veggies.
Find Healthy Substitutes
"Slowly introduce healthy food substitutes for your favourite meals"
Again, the best way to get started is by making small changes instead of going cold turkey on all the foods you love and replacing them with bland, tasteless food, I find this often leads to a setback causing you to abandon your fitness goals and go on a food binge. Slowly introduce healthy food substitutes for your favourite meals, you can also find healthy ingredients to make your favourite food. Yes, healthy food can taste delicious too, you just have to find the right recipes and ingredients. Now doesn't that sound like a win-win? This way, you won't feel like you're depriving yourself of the food you love and can still enjoy your favourite treats without guilt. Here are some healthy food substitutes that will help you reach your health and fitness goals:
1. Swap out white bread for whole-wheat or multi-grain bread.
2. Replace your sugary cereal with a bowl of oatmeal or yogurt with berries.
3. Eat lean meat instead of fatty cuts of meat.
4. Use skim milk or almond milk in place of full cream milk when making smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, and other breakfast food.
5. Make low-fat versions of your favourite sauces, dressings, and dips
6. Replace butter with olive oil when cooking or baking.
7. Substitute low-fat yogurt for sour cream.
8. Use brown rice instead of white rice.
9. Use egg whites instead of whole eggs
10. Replace jam with mashed avocado
Stay Hydrated
Hydration is a key factor in your health and wellness. Your body needs at least 8-10 glasses of water per day, according to the Mayo Clinic. And if you exercise regularly or live in a hot climate, you’ll need even more. Water helps flush out toxins from the body, making you feel lighter and less bloated. It also helps keep your skin looking fresh & radiant. I know sometimes it's easy to forget to drink enough water during the day, but it's important for your health. In fact, a lack of water can lead to dehydration, which can cause headaches, fatigu,e and even kidney stones. Here are five tips to help you stay hydrated:
1. Drink water before meals or snacks because it will fill up your stomach with something healthy instead of empty calories from food that doesn't fill you up or provide nutrients for your body. You can even drink half an hour before eating so that it helps stimulate digestion and improve the absorption of nutrients in food by diluting acids in the stomach that can upset digestion.
2. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times so it's always accessible when needed. This is especially important when out running errands during the day.
3. Add lemon slices or cucumber slices to your glass of water. In addition to adding someone flavour to your water making tasty, so you can drink more easily drink more of it. Lemon and cucumber also help in detoxifying your body and with weight loss.
4. Drink warm liquids such as broth or tea instead of cold beverages like soda or juice in the winter months when it's cold outside and your body needs extra hydration to keep warm.
5. Keep an eye on how much caffeine you're consuming each day because caffeine can cause dehydration by increasing urine production in the kidneys.
Ello Hydra Half Gallon Jug
Have a positive mindset about your new lifestyle change
"If you believe it will be hard, that's what it will be. If you believe it will be easy, that's what it will be. The only way to get good results is by setting yourself up for success."
It’s one thing to want to change your life. It’s another thing to actually do it. When you decide to make a change, you need to have a positive mindset. How you think about your diet and fitness can have a big effect on how successful you are. If you believe it will be hard, that's what it will be. If you believe it will be easy, that's what it will be. The only way to get good results is by setting yourself up for success. Here are some tips to help you develop a positive mindset:
Take things one day at a time
If you're trying to lose weight, don't focus on the big picture right now, just focus on today and how much better off you'll be if you stick with your plan for just 24 hours straight. Once the day passes, reward yourself with something small. That will help motivate you to keep going,
Keep things in perspective
If you slip up, don't beat yourself up about it. It's not the end of the world. And even if you fall off the wagon a few times, it's not like your progress has been erased. You'll just need to pick up where you left off and keep going as best as possible.
View setbacks as learning experiences
If something doesn't work out according to plan, try to figure out what went wrong and why so that you can avoid making similar mistakes in the future. For example, if you're trying to lose weight with exercise but find yourself getting sick more often than usual, perhaps this means that exercising too hard is stressing your body out too much, so maybe it's time to back off a bit.
Try new things
If there's an activity or diet that seems interesting or intriguing but isn't yet part of your routine, consider adding it as an experiment.
Don't compare yourself to others
Everyone has their own body type and genetics, so comparing yourself with someone else isn't fair. Focus on your goals and what's important to you.
Don't let one bad day bring you down for the rest of the week or month
If you mess up and eat something that isn't on your diet plan, don't think about it for the rest of the day or even the week. Just move forward and keep going.
Focus on the benefits
Think about all of the benefits of being healthy and fit instead of focusing on all of the negatives that come from being unhealthy (like disease, heart problems, etc.).
Have more home-cooked meals
When you're trying to eat right, eating at home is a must. Cooking at home is a great way to make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients that your body needs. It's hard to make good choices when you're out and about. You're more likely to eat too much and make poor food choices. Here are some tips for making sure you have healthy meals at home:
Learn basic cooking skills
The first step in becoming a healthier eater is learning how to cook. While you don't have to become a gourmet chef or master every cooking technique under the sun, developing basic cooking skills will help ensure that you're eating well no matter what time of day it is or how busy life gets.
Plan ahead
When you know what you're making for dinner, it's easier to stick to your plan and not give in to fast food or takeout.
Stock up on healthy staples
Make cooking at home easier by having an organised pantry filled with healthy staples such as beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and natural healthy kinds of butter, etc.
Consider Meal Prepping
Take some time to prepare a few meal options that would be readily available. This will ensure that you're always eating healthy and choosing the right options when you're hungry.
Track your progress
Tracking progress is a great way to stay motivated, and it also helps you make sure that you're on the right path on your health journey. The best way to track your weight is with a scale. Scales are affordable and easy to use, and they give you information about how much you weigh that can help determine if your diet and exercise plan are working as well as they should be.
Fitbit Aria Air Bluetooth Digital Body Weight and BMI Smart Scale
Plan for setbacks
"No matter what happens, it's important not to let setbacks derail your progress"
Life is full of ups and downs, but it's the ability to bounce back from a setback that makes all the difference and health is no different. When you are on your health journey and you have a setback, it is easy to feel like there is no hope and that you will never reach your goals. You may feel like giving up, but this is the time for self-compassion, not self-criticism. When you experience setbacks in your life, it can be difficult to stay positive. You may begin to think that you are not good enough or strong enough to achieve your goals. This kind of thinking will only reinforce negative emotions and behaviors.
Here are a few tips for dealing with common setbacks:
Ask yourself what caused the setback
If you're having trouble sticking to your plan, ask yourself why. You may be facing an obstacle that's out of your control, such as a family emergency or injury that keeps you from working out as much as usual. If so, make a plan to deal with these obstacles so they don't become excuses not to exercise or eat well.
Don't beat yourself up over setbacks
Instead, learn from them. Take note of what went wrong so it doesn't happen again in the future and take steps toward finding solutions that work better for you.
Keep going
It's hard to see your progress when you're just starting out on a journey of self-improvement. You may feel like you're not doing enough, or that you're not taking enough steps forward. In reality, you've already made great strides in your quest for better health and wellness. The key is to focus on the positive and keep going.
Give yourself credit for past accomplishments
Even if they weren't perfect or as frequent as you would like them to be. You are making a difference in your life by taking steps toward better health. This takes courage and determination, so give yourself credit for those qualities as well.
Rewire your brain with positive thinking
If you think about what you're doing wrong over and over again, you'll start to believe it's true. Instead, think about what good things are happening in your life whether they're small victories or big ones, and use them as motivation to keep going.
Make a plan for social situations
When you are on your health journey planning for social situations is a good idea because it's easy to get carried away with eating. You eat because everyone else is eating, and you feel like you should eat too. I know you may be thinking, that is absolutely true and it's best I stay away from those situations. You don't have to avoid them, but you can plan ahead so that you are prepared to stay on track with the eating plan you have chosen.
Here are some helpful tips:
Prepare yourself mentally
Remind yourself why you are on this journey .so that when someone asks if you want seconds or another drink, you can say "No thanks!" without feeling guilty or like there is something wrong with you.
Get details about the event: Find out what restaurants or events will be going to and what food will be served at the event and whether any of those foods will trigger cravings. If there aren't healthy food options available, bring your own food and snacks.
Drink water instead of alcohol or soda
Alcoholic beverages are full of empty calories and sugar, alcohol dehydrates your body which will make getting sick much more likely. So would you really be missing out? ..........hmmmm, I think not.
Keep track of what you're having
Keep track of what you've eaten so far and decide how much more you want to eat before stopping.
The most important thing to remember when creating new healthy habits is to be consistent, and make lifestyle changes that you can stick with for the long term to reap the maximum benefits. Small changes add up over time to create lasting lifestyle changes that will benefit you for years to come. Remember, your weight is primarily a result of the everyday choices you make, and no change is too small if it helps you maintain the new healthy habits that keep you on track. So start small, and focus on what you can, take it one day at a time. Use this opportunity to adjust your diet and exercise goals based on what has actually worked best for you not just what was easiest. By building systems that work for your lifestyle and incorporating them over time, you are more likely to find success on your health journey.
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