The idea of “healthy living” can be quite overwhelming at first, especially if you are new to the health and wellness world! When we start the process of getting our minds and bodies into shape, we can have a tendency to think about the more negative aspects of this journey at first.
For example, what may typically come to mind are things such as: what we won’t be able to eat anymore, how often we’ll have to go to the gym, how much weight we think we need to lose, and more generally, all of the things we think we won’t be able to enjoy anymore.
Thinking of healthy living through this perspective can feel daunting, and it can make the task feel more like a chore than what it actually is.
In reality, healthy living is a choice we make that can open doors for us, and eventually, it is something that can also allow us to feel great while thriving in different aspects of our lives! And the best part?
It can be a lot simpler than what you might be thinking.
Instead of drastically changing our lifestyle for a short amount of time (as many diets often ask us to do), getting healthy and staying healthy can come from making simple and sustainable lifestyle changes.
To get a better understanding of how this works, let’s look at five simple and sustainable tips that you can start using today:
Five Simple and Sustainable Tips for Healthy Living
1. Note your Water Intake
As you may already know, hydration is incredibly important to our health. Adequate water intake is not only vital to keeping us alive, but it also supports many other important functions in our body.
Simply counting the number of glasses of water that you drink in a day (and making sure you are getting enough) can make a difference in your physical health by allowing you to stay hydrated and encouraging you to limit other (potentially more unhealthy) beverages.
2. Find a Form of Movement that Brings you Joy
Whether it’s dancing, running, walking, or playing with your dog, any form of movement has the potential to make an improvement in your health.
For some individuals, going to the gym works well, but for others, it might not always fit into their lifestyle as easily, and it’s important to know that this is also okay!
Finding a type of exercise that you love, and one that fits into your schedule and lifestyle, is important as it will help ensure that you keep doing it in the long-term.
3. Focus on Wholesome Foods
Many healthy diet plan will ask us to focus on the foods that we have to eliminate, which can make meal planning, and eating in general, seem hopeless and difficult. Instead, I recommend focusing on putting in healthy and wholesome foods to your meals.
For example, instead of focusing on eliminating carbs, try putting your attention to adding in a veggie with lunch and dinner. By turning your focus to adding in more wholesome foods into your diet, you can make cooking, and eating, more enjoyable and less restrictive.
4. Make Small Adjustments
Making small adjustments to your lifestyle has the potential to make a big difference in your health.
Drastic changes are usually not sustainable in the long term, which is why so many people will return to their former eating and healthy lifestyle habits after completing a diet program.
Instead of unsustainable (and sometimes unhealthy) changes, find small adjustments that fit into your lifestyle.
This could be biking or walking to work instead of taking your car, adding in a smoothie in the afternoon to reduce sugar cravings later in the day, or even just adding in a veggie during your dinner to get some extra nutrients!
5. Find Support
Whether it’s a professional, friend, or family member, having a support system and/or accountability partner throughout your health journey can allow you to stay on track and reach your goals!
Finding someone who is able to listen to you and support you as you make important changes for your health can keep you accountable, and it can help you sustain the changes you are making as you go through the natural ups and downs of life.
You might even find someone who is willing to go on walks with you, share meal prep ideas, or cook with you, all of which can make the journey more fun!
Conclusion
As we can see through these five tips, when focusing on simple and sustainable steps, healthy living doesn’t have to be hard!
It doesn’t have to be about how much weight you think you need to lose, how many times you’ll need to go to the gym, or all the things and foods you think you won’t be able to enjoy anymore. Instead, it can be about all the things you can do. You can drink that extra glass of water, add a veggie to your dinner, play with your dog, or make a meal with a loved one.
