Better Health Through Better Living

Habits

Feb 29

If I got paid every time someone said, “You are what you eat,” I’d be pretty well off right now. I’m sure that you would too. Honestly, that statement is true but I’d also offer that you are a sum of a number of things.

Because the truth is, how healthy we are, is dependent not only on how well we eat but how well we live overall. So yes, eat well, but live well too.

Below I’m going to share 5 ways that you can achieve a healthier life, by simply changing a few of your day to day habits.

5 Tips for a Healthier Life

Think positive.
I am a firm believer in the saying, “Whatever the mind believes and conceives, it can achieve.” You can do whatever you set your mind to and you have to remember that! Kicking off your day with positive affirmations can really change the way you feel that day. For me, I have positive affirmations on my wall by my bed so that I see them as soon as I wake up, on my bathroom mirror so that I can see them while I’m getting ready, and in my closet so that I can see one everytime I go to grab my jacket or shoes. Don’t allow negative self talk to bring you down and add unnecessary stress and anxiety to your life! Think positive, be positive, live positive.
Drink Water.
Drinking water is so important! Your body functions needs water to function. In fact, we are almost 70% water. Bring a water bottle when you are out and about to help you drink water throughout the day. My favorite water bottle is the TAL Double Wall Vaccum Insulated Stainless Steel Ranger Pro. My bottle is 64 oz and stays cold all day! This is awesome for me because my personal preference is to drink cold water (your body expends more calories warming up the water) and this bottle is just shy of 2 liters so my water goal is almost met for the day. If you’re not a fan of drinking plain water, you can spritz up your drink by adding some fruits or mint leaves to give your water some flavor.
Get enough sleep.
When you sleep, your body has the opportunity to reboot and heal itself. Adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep each day. This may be easier said than done but a great way to prepare yourself to go to sleep is to set a nightly routine for yourself that lets your mind know that it’s time to go to sleep. Remove all distractions that may keep you up- put away your electronic devices, turn off your tv, etc. Another great way to prepare yourself for going to sleep is to only get in your bed when you are about to go sleep. This helps program you to be ready to go to sleep once you hit the bed.
Meditate
Meditation is a great way to calm the mind when you are stressed and refocus. Spending about 5 minutes each day meditating will allow you to minimize anxiety, improve sleep, and enhance your self awareness [1]. The beauty of meditation is that you can do it anywhere! I pause to meditate in my office during a long day, at home to clear my mind before going to bed, and anywhere else I need to find a moment to decompress. You can facilitate your own meditation or you can follow along with an app. I use the Stop, Breathe, Think app on IOS but there are so many others that you can chose from. Meditation is a personal experience, so you just have to find what makes you feel the most comfortable.
Exercise
Committing to exercising regularly isn’t just about making yourself “look good.” Regular exercise makes you feel good as well. Exercise can help improve your ability to sleep, reduce anxiety, and increase your energy, in addition to building strong muscles and a healthy heart. It’s recommended that you complete at least 150 minutes of cardio per week [2]. This can be done by going for a brisk walk, jogging, swimming, or doing a high intensity interval activity (HIIT). I try to start each day in the gym because it gives me an energy boost that lasts throughout the day. If you’re new to working out, you should start out with going to the gym at least 2-3 times a week. Check out a group fitness class, hire a personal trainer or a health coach (wink wink) if you’re not sure what to do.

Now that you have these five tips for a healthier life, how can you apply them to your day to day life? I challenge you to pick one tip and start making some changes today!

What are you working on? Reply in the comments below!

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