Easy Healthy Habits

Was “Getting Healthy” on your list of goals this year? I know it’s at the top of a lot of our lists! You need to change your habits, so why not try some easy healthy habits?

Getting healthy is a common goal for any time of the year.

But it’s way too vague of a goal.

It’s too difficult to measure and not S.M.A.R.T. at all.

If you’re wondering where to start – ask yourself what you want.

What does getting healthy really mean to you?

– Eating a more balanced diet
– Working out regularly
– Losing weight
– Getting toned
– Growing muscles
– Gaining stamina for the the zombie apocalypse
 

 
There is no one face or body type that exemplifies healthy.

One of the few people who can help you with your health is your doctor.

Before you delve into any serious lifestyle changes, you want to check in with your doctor first.

Getting a check-up and maybe some blood work is a good place to start.

I don’t know about your doctor, but my doctor always wants to talk to me about my diet and exercise anyway.

At this point you probably have gathered, but I still have to say it: I am not a doctor, nor am I a dietitian or a nutritionist.

I’m just someone who is on their own healthy journey sharing things that I have learned or that have helped me.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live” – Jim Rohn

 

 
That being said, I do have several general easy healthy habits no matter what your actual goal is:
 
 

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Quit diet culture

This is not a post promoting any sort of diet.

Food is something a lot of us have a complicated relationship with. It’s not just you.

Food is not good or bad, because food has no moral value.

Body trends and beauty ideals are perpetrated by companies and corporations to make you feel inadequate.
 

&NBSp;
I believe in eating foods that feel good and do good for your body.

Whatever that means for you personally.

Sustainable lifestyle shifts will always work better than crash diets long term.

Yo-yo dieting or hopping onto different diet trends is not good for your body.

Try listening to what you body has to say instead of blindly enforcing so many rules upon it.

Eat the things that make you feel good and let yourself indulge sometimes. ❤️⁣

 

“Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos – the trees, the clouds, everything.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

 
 
 

Get enough sleep

Sleep is not a waste of time!

It is the foundation upon which you can build your healthier lifestyle.

We are not machines and we are not designed to keep running 24 hours a day.
 

“Sleep is not a luxury; it is an absolutely essential act of daily maintenance and it is your ally in keeping your brain sharp and youthful.” – Dr. Frank Lipman, How to Be Well

 
The long term effects of sleep deprivation are also serious.

Psychologically it can lead to mood swings, anxiety and impulsive behaviors.

Physically it can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and reduce the effectiveness of your immune system.

Sleep deprivation has also been associated with obesity in certain studies.

 

 

This is an easy healthy habit to start with, so do your best to get that beauty sleep!
 
 
 

Drink more water

Keep water with you all of the time.

Drink it. Drink a lot of it.

 

 

Yes, you will have to pee more frequently.

But, it might also help clear up your skin.

If you don’t like water, no worries. I have a whole post on how to drink water when you don’t like it.

Water isn’t just good for your complexion, it’s essential for your digestion.

It also helps flush toxins out of your body.

Keeping yourself properly hydrated can help with energy levels and focus too, so it’s important to drink water.
&bsp;
 
 

Eat more vegetables & fruit

How many servings of vegetables do you eat a day? How many servings of fruit?

Did you know that according to the USDA you’re supposed to have 3-5 CUPS of vegetables and 2-4 CUPS of fruit every. single. day.

That kinda blew my mind to be honest. I will admit to you that I have gone at least a week before without eating a vegetable – because no, french fries don’t count.
 

 
If you’ve had trouble with your fresh produce going bad, try buying frozen.

Cooking fresh veggies is nice, but we don’t always have the time or energy for all of that.

The vegetables are generally frozen at their peak so they retain all of their nutrients when you cook them.

If you really can’t find any vegetables that you like, you can always add something like spinach or kale to your fruit smoothies.

You’ll get pretty much none of the taste, but all of the benefits!
 

 
You might be thinking that fruit is full of sugar and that you should be avoiding it – but that’s not true.

The natural sugars found in fruit are much less harmful to your body than high fructose corn syrup or other added sugars found in processed foods.
 

 
 
 

Consume less sugar

Sugar is delicious.

I don’t know about you but I have a serious sweet tooth.

The idea is not to restrict yourself of something totally, just to be more mindful for what you’re using to fuel your body.

Sugar can be found in so many things you don’t even think about it being in.

American adults consume on average 60 pounds of ADDED sugar each year.

That doesn’t include natural sugars like the sugars found in fruits, just ADDED.

The worst part is that studies show that we’re drinking most of it.

The number one contributor is soft drinks.
&nsbp;

 
I’m not saying to give up soft drinks or sodas completely!

I know that there is just something about carbonation.. Just don’t make soda your default choice.

While soda is tasty it’s also empty calories.

I know, you’re probably thinking that diet soda doesn’t have any calories. BUT, diet soda is just as bad!

Studies have shown links between drinking diet beverages and increased risk of high blood pressure.

If you’re going to drink soda, opt for the real stuff just don’t opt for it too often.

 
 
 

Track your food

I have mixed feelings about this one so let me start off by saying I am not a calorie counter.

I have tried it before but it is always just too great a source of stress.

Especially when you are cooking more instead of buying prepackaged foods.
 

 
I could not even imagine tracking macros.

That being said, a simple list will suffice for tracking your food.

We often snack on more things during the day that we realize.

Tracking everything will give you a better perspective on what you might need to change.
 

 
Looking at the calories can be helpful – especially if you’re just starting off and learning about nutrition.

If you’ve never looked at nutrition labels before, you might be surprised at how much salt, sugar and fat you can find in certain “healthy” foods.

But, I encourage you not to obsess over the numbers.

If you are going to track your food down to the calories, don’t do it long term.

Learn how much your usual foods have and just try to keep your diet balanced.

 

 

 

 

Move your body

Do you love going to the gym? Neither do I.

That’s why I wrote the Lazy Guide to Getting Active.

Moving your body doesn’t necessarily mean exercising, but there is no denying that exercise can be wildly beneficial.
 

 
Not only to your physical health, but to your mental health as well.

If your issue is that you don’t have enough time, stop that excuse.

While you may not have 2 hours to dedicate to going to the gym, I bet you can find 10 minutes to at least do a warm-up at home.

You can find quick workouts on Youtube for any level that require no equipment.
 

 
If you’re not sure where to start, try this 8 minute warm-up that always kicks my butt.
 
 
 

Keep a stash

Find a healthy (or at least healthier) version of your favorite snacks.

Maybe the switch is yogurt for pudding, plain popcorn for extra butter popcorn, kale chips for potato chips or any other number of substitutions.

Keep whatever you decide on hand. Or keep a stash in your desk when you get hungry at work so you don’t resort to the vending Machine.

Maybe keep a stash in your bag or in your car if you get tempted while driving by fast food restaurants.

 
 
 

Floss

I bet you weren’t expecting this one.

But flossing is an important habit to have.

By putting in the effort now, you’ll be insuring that in the future you have healthier teeth and that you get to keep them!

Do future you a favor so you don’t have to worry about expensive, painful dental surgeries or losing your teeth when you’re older.
 

 
 
 

Take Progress pics

I love motivating myself with before and after pictures when cleaning messy rooms.

Because I’m there in the room it can sometimes feel like I haven’t really made that much progress.

However, when I look back at the pictures it’s like WOW I did great!

The same principle applies here. Now you may be thinking that you absolutely do not want to take any before pictures, but I encourage you to.

You don’t have to show them to anyone, keep them private.

But progress can start slow and you are with yourself at all times.

It can be difficult to see changes from such a close perspective and it can be nice to look back at how far you’ve come.
 

 
Of course everyone wants to look a certain way, but being healthy isn’t just looking good or being “hot”.

Healthy isn’t a number on a scale, a pants size or a specific measurement.

Healthy is about the way your body feels.

I hope these easy habits can help you out! Which one was your favorite?

 

 
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