Leading a healthy lifestyle can be difficult; I know this as well as the next, but it’s about having the dedication to do so that makes all the difference. Here are some habits to help you accomplish the health and life goals that you’ve been yearning.
**Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape or form a health expert, these are just my personal opinions and what has helped me :)**
- Stop feeling guilty for eating badly !!!
In my experience, if I am trying to eat healthy and wind up caving and eating something unhealthy to suppress my cravings, it is never helpful for me to feel guilty about it. The thing about cravings is that if they’re super intense, sometimes they won’t be satisfied by eating some healthier option. You have to accept that eating something that you really want, even if it isn’t the healthiest, is going to happen and when it does it is nothing to feel guilty about. While it’s important to keep sight of your health goals, it is also important to understand that beating yourself up over straying from your diet isn’t healthy at all. We are all human and slip-ups happen, and I promise, one brownie will not ruin all of your progress!
- FOOD PREP
This is a healthy habit that will truly make all the difference! When I’m hungry, oftentimes all I want is something quick which usually ends up being chips or something of the likes. Food prepping has been a sure way to prevent this problem though! Putting together a few salads or smoothies at the beginning of the week to store in the fridge ensures that you always have a healthy option ready to go, this makes the healthy choice the easy choice as well!
- Take everything day by day
Having an end goal is necessary to keep you on track, but stressing about how you’ll get there in a certain amount of time is more harmful than helpful. By just trying to focus on becoming the healthiest version of yourself one day at a time you’re going to feel so much better and not trapped. When you see yourself in the mirror, it’s about thinking, “I look great today, I am so proud of myself.” Rather than, “I can’t wait for a month from now until I look better.” I’m not saying to settle or not be hopeful for your future self, but we have to learn to accept and appreciate our bodies every day and at every stage of our growth. You can’t expect to feel satisfied with your body when you’re at your healthiest if you are not confident with it throughout your journey.
- Don’t get too caught up in your diet
Even if you are losing weight, that doesn’t mean that you should stop growing. You may not want to be growing in diameter any longer, but you still have to make sure that you’re growing in other aspects of your life like your mind and soul. It’s easy to let the thought of being your healthiest self consume every part of your mind, but stop allowing your diet to hold that much power over you. At the end of the day they are so many greater things to focus on than losing weight.
- Outside activities!
Getting outside is so important for not only your physical health, but your mental health as well. Being outside, getting fresh air and feeling the sun on your skin does absolute wonders for your well-being and provides your body with vitamins and minerals. This may not result in weight loss but getting outside is absolutely still something necessary for a healthy lifestyle.
- Water
I’m a firm believer that water is the best natural healer. Headache? Water. Hot? Water. Tired? Water..I could go on. What I’m trying to say is that water should absolutely be your best friend and it provides so many health benefits. Drinking enough cold water can even boost your metabolism which is amazing if you are trying to lose weight. It also can clear your skin up; so believe me when I say that water will truly have you glowing from the inside out!
- Get offline
I know this tip sounds kind of ironic considering that this is posted on the internet…online…but disconnecting yourself here and there can be very helpful! Social media creates a world of comparison which can be very unhealthy for your mind and confidence. Beyond that, avoiding screen time will free up your day for more important and beneficial activities.
- Get a good night’s sleep
After a long day, we rely on sleep to give us the energy we need to do it all over again. Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night can boost your mood, memory, focus and ability to learn throughout the day; and let’s be real, after a night of getting little sleep the last thing you want to do is be productive and get things done for the day. So do yourself a favor and allow yourself the time to sleep at night, you’ll feel so much better and will be able to get the most out of each day!
I hope these tips for a healthy lifestyle can help you out, trust the process! Know that your health isn’t always represented in your appearance, but your mind as well; and a healthy mind can be the most important of all:)
Alive and Well(ness) 