Six Simple Changes For A Healthier Lifestyle
Change is stressful. It can be fun, terrifying or both. Change forced upon us generally causes more stress, whereas changes that we choose to make usually come with more excitement.
When you decide to commit to a healthier lifestyle, a whole slew of emotions can come with this decision.
The NEED To Change
Perhaps you NEED to make a change for medical reasons. Maybe your doctor didn’t really give you a choice. This can be downright scary and incredibly overwhelming. I’ve been there. I was diagnosed with borderline gestational diabetes during my fourth pregnancy. It was totally unexpected, and for a carb lover like me it was a major adjustment.
The Desire To Change
Maybe you’ve just decided enough is enough. You are ready to lose the baby weight once and for all, or you want to get rid of your beer belly. Maybe you want more energy or you are tired of being sick & tired. You are excited to begin feeling good again. Whatever the reason, I commend you for making the decision to change. It isn’t easy, but it is SO worth it!
Many people decide they are going to get healthy & fit but they don’t know where to start. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements of weight-loss products, gym memberships, workout DVD’s, healthy cookbooks, etc. Some people plunk down a ton of money on something that promises amazing results without really understanding the commitment involved to get those results. Some people join a gym and are all gung-ho for a few weeks but quickly lose steam. Some people get rid of all the junk food in their house and eat super healthy, only to wind up bingeing because they have denied themselves a treat for too long.
I’m here to give you some pointers that will help you be more successful in changing your lifestyle. I’ve been there, done that.
Here are six simple changes that will help you transition to a healthier lifestyle.
Determine your fitness goals. If you need help figuring out what your goals are, check out this article I wrote. Setting clear, reasonable, positive goals is key to being successful.
Tell someone (or a few someones) close to you what your goals are, and what your plan is to achieve them. This is important for two reasons:
You will have more accountability if you actually tell someone your goals
You will have people you care about cheering you on and supporting you during your fitness journey. Want more people cheering you on and keeping you successful? Join one of my private groups here.
START SMALL! Don’t decide to only eat chicken and veggies and begin running 10 miles a day. That is completely ridiculous. Start phasing the junk out of your diet and begin adding healthier foods. Choose a workout routine that you can stick with and build from there. Maybe you can only walk 15 minutes a day. Try to add one minute on every day.
Celebrate your milestones. Maybe your goal is to run 5 miles. Celebrate every time you add another mile to your run. Perhaps you want to lose a certain amount of weight or get off of your medications. Celebrate every time you lose 5 pounds or no longer need a medication (with doctor approval).
Change your mindset. You aren’t doing these things because you hate yourself or your body. You are doing it because you LOVE yourself! Eating healthy and exercising is not a punishment. They are a REWARD.
Allow yourself to fail. You aren’t perfect. None of us are. We all have bad days. I certainly have days where I miss my workout or eat too much junk. Don’t use a day like this as an excuse to quit. Just pick yourself back up and get back on track. Failing is okay. Quitting isn’t.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND - There is no magic secret. There is no cream, pill, wrap, drink, etc. that will magically make you lean & healthy. You need to be consistent with eating clean and exercising. It really is that simple.
You can do this. I have faith in you. Now let’s turn your plan into reality!
