When it comes to making improvements to your health—it’s time to set realistic goals that you can actually keep. Don’t stop believing in the power to change. Start making the change. That’s when the real magic begins.
We’ve all seen it and yes, even done it – New Year’s Resolutions – the start of a new year represents a chance to start over, and that’s great. Every year millions of people make resolutions because they sincerely want to live healthier, longer, happier, more fulfilling lives. Year after year, the most common resolutions are related to health: We vow to exercise more, eat better, lose weight, and take more time to nurture our overall well-being. And we do great, for a week at least until “real life” kicks back in. If, however, you want something better for yourself than this haphazard way of trying to be “healthy”, change needs to happen in several different areas of your life, not in just one or two isolated ones. I know this can sound overwhelming and time-consuming, but I promise you that if you go through the process one step at a time, you will begin to regain energy, allowing you to continue making more changes, still one step at a time. There is no “miracle cure” or “fast -track” to get there, but consistency and hard work will show up in your body, mind, and soul if tended to.
When it comes to food – Choose Real Options
The foundation of a healthy lifestyle lies in the food you eat on a regular basis, and the key to a healthy diet is to focus on eating nutrient-dense foods that will nourish your body. This involves eating whole foods that are in as close to their natural state as possible, which means they most likely will not come processed, in a box or bag, or with an ingredient list a mile long.
Get Moving
The best way to do this is to make it applicable to your life. Mimicking the activities our ancestors would have done. They sprinted, pushed, pulled and had short intense bursts of activity followed by resting intervals. What they DID NOT do is spend hours running in place on a treadmill.
Get the Junk Out-Detox
Our bodies are flooded with more toxins than ever before in history. We are exposed to them through the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the many chemical products we use in our homes and on our skin.
The good news is that our bodies have the natural capability to detoxify. Begin working to remove the sources of toxins from your life that you have control over, while simultaneously nourishing your body to support the natural elimination of toxins. This combination will improve your body’s ability to remove the toxins that you cannot help but come into contact with.
Self-Care
This covers several areas, from getting adequate sleep, to managing stress, and even nurturing our relationships. If any of the areas of your life that were just mentioned are not what they should be, then getting your body to a “healthy ” state will prove very difficult and, in all actuality, impossible.
How to Make Changes That Stick:
- Set realistic, measurable goals.
- Start small. Focus on one behavior at a time.
- Share your struggles with others.
- Get support.
- Keep track of your results.
- Be kind to yourself, especially when you slip up.
- Above all else, be patient. Look at the big picture.
There are so many factors affecting your health. It’s not just too many carbs one day and too few hours of sleep the next. It’s the composite of your life. Your relationships. Your stress levels. Your genetics. The toxins to which you are exposed. The financial obligations you need to meet.