5 simple ways to live a healthier lifestyle
5 practical ways to live a healthier lifestyle
When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, I believe simplicity is best. I used to think that I needed so many external things - supplements, classes, equipment - in order to achieve success on my health and wellness journey. Now that I am older and wiser, I have learned that simplicity is best. There is nothing wrong with supplements, expensive workout classes or fancy equipment. However, nothing beats going back to the basics.
In a culture that has made health and wellness about capitalism, it is not that easy to deny our urges to buy things to make us feel temporarily good. It is actually more difficult to resist these urges and keep doing the mundane, building healthy habits through routine. But it is so worth it to keep doing the same things, consistently, to build healthy habits. These “small” actions bring huge results!
Sleep
Getting adequate rest is so important! Sleep is so productive, rejuvenating and refreshing. Our culture likes to prioritize hustle and bustle, grinding until our health is on the line and being busy just to be busy. It’s actually considered a radical act to turn down weeknight plans to ensure you get a proper rest for the next day. Don’t let fear of missing out keep you from getting sleep!
I also want to point out that quality sleep is what we are talking about here. I am talking about those times where you can sleep for 6-7 hours but it feels like 9. Everyone is different, but at the end of the day, we all need quality sleep to function at our best. Women need even more sleep than men, so ladies don’t be afraid to put your phone on silent, slip on your bonnet and get cozy all by 10pm. Getting quality sleep is worth it. Mentally, you feel more sharp and can move forward with clarity. Physically, you feel more empowered to get through the day with a pep in your step.
Being in Nature
Being in nature is another simple and effective way to move towards a healthier lifestyle. You do not have to spend hours outside to feel the power of nature at work. Sometimes, all you need is a nice, 10 minute walk, to clear your head, breathe some fresh air and get some movement in surrounded by trees, birds, flowers and foliage. Your surroundings will look different depending on where you live in the world, but everywhere has beauty in it, you just have to choose to see it and embrace it.
Do things you enjoy
The healthiest people I know do things that they genuinely enjoy and say no to things that they do not enjoy. It took me years to finally stop hanging around people and doing things that I did not like. I guess I would hang out with them or do things I did not enjoy because I longed to be surrounded by a quality community, but the best thing to do is spend time alone until you find yourself with the right people.
I enjoy reading, going to church, watching movies and tv shows, trying healthy recipes, exercise, walking, getting massages, facials and going to the spa! I do not enjoy going to the club, partying, staying up until 2am socializing, drinking, smoking or loud music. Call me whatever you want but I am so happy that I finally decided to embrace who I really am and participate in what I consider fun!
Treat yo’self!
You can eat healthy all you want, but if you don’t treat yourself sometimes, you’ll go crazy! As human beings, we crave balance. Restrictions only lead to overindulgence in the future. Do yourself a favor and eat that damn cookie! So you don’t have 5 cookies at midnight when your cravings start to kick in.
I tell clients, family and friends all the time - stop restricting yourself! Eat clean and prioritize healthy, whole meals - but also prioritize your favorite snacks and foods. It is okay to eat pizza on the weekends or even one night during the week. It is okay to have ice cream for dessert. It is mostly about portion control, not about resisting your favorite foods.
Consistent exercise
Lastly, consistent exercise will bring so many benefits to your lifestyle - physically and mentally. I am not talking about random, sporadic bursts of exercise. I am talking about regular, consistent exercise. This can be 3 times a week, 4-5 times a week or 6 days a week, depending on your intensity level of the exercise you partake in. Choose something you enjoy. You don’t have to be excited and over the moon prior to every workout session. But you should be happy after your workout.
Regular exercise releases endorphins, can provide mental clarity, helps you feel good , build confidence, practice discipline and it can inspire others to workout regularly as well.
I hope these simple tips to live a healthier lifestyle helps you. If you want to read more about living a healthier lifestyle you can order my eBook on Amazon!