No matter who you are, what you do, or your goals, a healthy lifestyle can only help. A foundation of good health is the perfect starting point for any endeavor. You will look better, feel better, and have more energy. The best way time to kick-start a healthy lifestyle was yesterday; the next best time is now. If you are ready to embrace a healthier lifestyle, these nine tips are a great way to get started.
- Start Small
You don’t always have to hit the ground running (not that there is anything wrong with that). If you are taking your first steps towards a healthy lifestyle, focus on small, simple steps you can use to build momentum. A lot of marathons started with a walk around the block.
- Honour Your Personal Preference
Committing to a healthy lifestyle can take some work, so why make it harder by fighting yourself. Honor your preferences. Double down on the healthy foods you already like. Start doing more of that physical activity you already love.
- Dress the Part
I don’t mean you have to go out and get a brand-new gym outfit – but hey, if that would motivate you, go for it! This means that if you have an activity planned for the day, dress for it early. If you already have your running shoes on, you are far less likely to skip your run.
- Find an Exercise Buddy
A good way to break up the doldrums of an exercise routine and add accountability at the same time is to find an exercise buddy. You will be less likely to miss out on your routine, and you will enjoy it more. It’s a win-win.
- 80/15/5
This is a simple ratio to help you with healthier eating. It isn’t meant as a cure-all, but it is a good general guide. 80% of what you eat are healthy foods you already enjoy, 15% are foods you know are healthy but don’t love, 5% eat whatever you want. You can tweak the numbers a bit to match your preference.
- Start Each Morning with a Big Glass of Water
Yes, even before your coffee. This is a great way to get your day off to a great start. You will be well on the way to meeting your daily requirements. Don’t stop in the morning though, most of us should be drinking much more water throughout the day.
- Learn to Cook
It is so much easier to eat healthy on a budget when you can cook. You don’t even have to be great at it. Just learn enough so that you can cook more meals more than you order. YouTube is a great place to learn, start by finding a video recipe of one of your favorite dishes.
- Reward Yourself Without Sabotage
Make sure to reward yourself regularly. Some people may find this soft, but working towards a reward is just human nature. The key is to make sure you don’t sabotage your progress. Taking a day off your routine is a reward. Taking a few weeks off is sabotage. A piece of cake is a reward. A whole cake is a sabotage.
- Don’t Let Setbacks Turn into Failure
You will hit stumbling blocks on your path towards a healthy lifestyle. Don’t let that scare you, though. A setback is a great way to learn what doesn’t work for you. Your results are going to come down to how well you bounce back from the inevitable setbacks.