5 Tips to Kickstart a Healthy Lifestyle

What most people don't realize is how making sustainable small changes to your lifestyle can drastically alter it into an overall healthier and balanced one. That being said, it can be scary to start, as you may have no clue where to begin. I am going to give you 5 TIPS that helped me when I started my fitness/health journey. Whether you're wanting to lose weight, tone up, or just start to lead a healthier lifestyle, these tips will be crucial as you begin your own journey!

One of the biggest factors in beginning to lead a healthier lifestyle is MOVEMENT. There seems to be a misconception that if you want to be "healthier" you HAVE to workout. However, this isn't necessarily the case. Not everyone is the same, and not everyone may like to workout. Therefore, movement can mean many different things. Yes, movement could mean a run if you love to run, or it could mean weight training if you love to weight train. However, movement could also mean going on a walk, or going to the beach and swimming in the ocean. What matters most when it comes to movement is choosing something that you LOVE and that makes you happy! This is going to greatly impact your physical as well as mental health in the best way.

A huge factor that helped me kickstart a healthier lifestyle was developing a daily ROUTINE. Planning my workouts, meal ideas, and a general schedule for the day helped me and continues to help me stay on track with my goals while giving me structure and discipline. For example, when I had class on Tuesday/Thursday at 8:30 AM in the morning, my routine was to wake up at 7:00 AM, do my workout, and have a meal-prepped breakfast or a protein smoothie before class started. This routine became somewhat of an automatic mental one. It combined my daily movement with fueling my body, setting myself up for a positive day. My recommendation is to sit down on a Sunday and write down your routine/plans for Monday through Sunday. Even if you aren't able to follow it exactly to a T, you'll have a base that you can follow and refer to throughout the week that will serve as a general reminder if nothing else.

BALANCE. What does it mean? The formal definition of balance is: "A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions." This is absolutely key to beginning to lead a healthier lifestyle. The definition truly says it all - elements of your health/fitness journey should be equal and in correct proportions. This means that while it is amazing to consistently be on track with your workouts, your nutrition, or whatever it may be, it is important to realize that there should also be room left to relax and realize that it is more than okay to miss that workout if you aren't feeling up to it, and that it is more than okay to have that slice of birthday cake. It can be easy to become too obsessed and fixated. However, life itself is truly about balance; learning to embrace and hold onto what you love and what makes you happy while also learning to incorporate healthier habits and a healthier mindset.

HYDRATION! I could go on and on about the importance of hydration, and you may be thinking, "I drink enough." Odds are, you probably aren't. Given the amount of activity that we as humans exert on a daily basis, it is recommended by experts that we drink AT LEAST 11.5 cups of water a day! Hydration is crucial to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to body cells, and keep organs functioning properly - not to mention it also plays a huge role in improving sleep quality, cognition, and mood. If one of your goals is weight loss, hydration is also a key component in helping you reach your goal. Overall, hydration is EVERYTHING and upping your water intake will make a huge difference in your lifestyle!

I saved the most important for last - SELF-LOVE. You should be doing what you are doing because you LOVE yourself and want to improve and build upon your already fabulous existing self. It is inevitable that at some point during your journey, you may feel anxiety, self-doubt, or unmotivated. What's important is to acknowledge these feelings and take the time that you need for yourself, while recognizing that you are already so beautiful, worthy, and capable. If you struggle with self-love, I would recommend writing down and speaking out positive affirmations everyday. This could be as simple as "I am beautiful" or "I no longer judge or criticize myself". It may feel a bit weird at first, but affirmations have been known to improve and bolster confidence.

I want to share a quote from my favorite philosopher that I feel speaks to your decision to lead a healthier lifestyle: “To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to keep the mind strong and clear.” – Buddha.

Choosing to kickstart your lifestyle into a healthier one is an incredibly admirable decision, and one of the best that you can make for yourself. There are so many different ways to do this, big and small. My hope is that these 5 tips will be a starting point for your journey as they were for me, which you can build upon and add to. If you have any questions or just want to talk about your journey, feel free to get in touch - I would love to help in anyway I can!

Until next time,

Mary Xxx