Do you know that neglecting your health will often lead to illness that could otherwise be avoided? Getting motivated to start a healthy lifestyle isn't the hard part, but building and maintaining a healthy routine requires you to be consistent. Spoiler: it's worth it! Leading a healthy lifestyle can increase your productivity and make you feel at ease with your body. Learn how in our latest blog!
The reality is that it's challenging to break out of old habits, but there's no time like the present to take a look at and critically evaluate your current lifestyle. If you think you need a change, then it's probably time you take the first step. Getting rid of old habits takes hard work and determination, which is why we're giving you some tips for how to be consistent in leading a healthy lifestyle.
As you already know, lifestyle changes do not happen overnight, and neither do results. First, let's briefly discuss how to build a healthy lifestyle.
- Your Mindset - This is where it all begins. You need to give yourself the push you deserve. Be your cheerleader, root for your success, and the rest will come naturally. Shift your mindset positively towards your new lifestyle, tell yourself it is possible, and watch it happen.
- Set Realistic Goals - Don't go about setting standards that you can't keep up with for even two straight days. This approach will put an end to your healthy lifestyle before you even get started. Set short and long term goals, and make it a steady process.
- Surround Yourself With People Who Are Living a Healthy Life - The company you keep has a huge impact on your life. If you have friends or family who love you and are already living healthy lives, then you are fortunate enough to have a built in accountability network and support system. It's inevitable that you will get a little distracted along the way, so it's helpful to have people who will remind you to keep moving forward.
Now that we have established that consistency is key to a healthy lifestyle, let's talk about how you can live a healthy lifestyle starting today.
How to Start a Healthy Lifestyle
When it comes to creating a healthy lifestyle, you don’t need to take huge steps all at once. Rather, you can and should start small and build from there. For example:
Eliminate Junk From Your Diet
This may seem like a bummer, but it's generally non-negotiable. Junk food does not provide your body with the nutrients it needs to be healthy, productive and vital. Try adding more vegetables and fruits to your meal plan, and see how amazing it feels to be nourished by real food. Vegetables and fruits are nutrient dense, full of of fiber and phytonutrients, and increase your hydration level. Staying away from junk might seem impossible, but this is where your determination comes in.
It's also important to understand that your junk food intake is doing your body more harm than good. While eliminating junk from your diet, you also need to watch what you eat, because processed foods are typically full of chemicals and preservatives. Reduce your carb intake, try to avoid refined and processed foods, and eat more protein and vegetables. Be aware of your sugar intake. You can reward yourself with a little treat on a weekly basis, or maybe go crazy once a month, but consistency really is key. And even though you'll be getting more vitamins and minerals from a nutrient-dense diet, don't forget to take the right supplements.
Drink Water and Get Enough Sleep
Your water intake likely needs no limit; most people can drink as much water as they want, and even more. The vast majority of people are dehydrated, which can have major consequences. Staying hydrated will help your body function efficiently to flush out toxins, and will help you maintain a clearer, more youthful complexion. Another exciting benefit is that drinking adequate water helps control your body weight.
Getting enough sleep should not, in any way, be overlooked. Most people need an average of 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Make this a priority by disconnecting from technology two hours before bed, and see what a difference it makes! It's amazing to feel your body with maximum energy the next day.
Exercise Regularly and Manage Your Mental Health
A healthy lifestyle isn't complete without exercise. It's all too common to go days without exercising, or even a week. With all the sitting we do these days, not dedicating time to offset it can wreak havoc on your heart. If you aren't keen on going all out for exercises like running, spinning, etc., then you can take little walks every hour or two hours. This single move will help strengthen and condition your heart and increase your longevity.
Since it can prove challenging to start exercising out of the blue, you can start with simple exercises for maybe 10 minutes a day, and then with time, you can progress to more intense workouts. Exercising keeps you fit physically and makes you more alert mentally. For starters, you can try to exercise three times a week.
Most people have no idea how much a person's mental health reflects on their physical appearance. You can't expect to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle while being sad, angry or anxious. If you have things or people making you upset, try to make peace, and if you can't, it's best you stay away. Surround yourself with your loved ones and participate in social functions that keep you active and happy. Get creative during your spare time. Try out new places, engage in exciting activities, and generally do your best to feel inspired each day. It will go a long way!
