How to start a healthy lifestyle
I am so glad that you are interested in starting a healthy lifestyle. With all of the information on the internet these days, it might feel overwhelming and you don’t know where to start. I’ll be sharing some tips with you to help kickstart your journey, but the biggest thing is to get your mindset ready for it. You have to mentally be ready to start this journey. Your mindset has to be strong and you have to really sit and think why you want to live a healthier lifestyle. Write it down and put it somewhere so that you can be reminded when it starts to become difficult. Creating a healthier lifestyle can begin with a dramatic change, like a sudden shift in activity, or it can be done gradually. There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong way to kickstart a healthier lifestyle. On a personal level, you will need to choose for yourself a plan that you will be most likely to adhere to.
tips to start a healthy lifestyle:
Drink more water
Drinking enough water, which is 2-3l, throughout the day has so many benefits. It helps to increase performance, affects energy levels and brain function, may help and prevent headaches, may help to relieve constipation and can aid in weight loss. Begin a habit of starting your day with a glass of water and try to include more water throughout the day as well. As you become more accustomed to the idea of drinking water regularly, begin cutting back on any sugary beverages you might have in your diet. Replace soda, juices, and energy drinks with water. Most people don’t realise when they are dehydrated and when you are thirsty it means that you are already dehydrated.
have a set bedtime
Getting enough sleep, which is 7 or more hours of quality sleep, is very important to achieve a healthy lifestyle. When you sleep enough, you will have enough energy, improved brain function and it will keep your appetite in control. Sleep deprivation increases levels of ghrelin and decreases levels of leptin. Ghrelin is a hormone that makes us feel hungry while leptin makes us feel full. This may cause us to feel hungrier and overeat. Your brain also wants energy and therefore you’ll crave the highest calorie foods in order to get a quick release of energy.
have a plan
Choose a plan that you can follow easily and that will set you up for success. Always make sure that the fridge and pantry is stocked with healthy food options and avoid buying food that will cause temptation. If you have food that you can quickly put together, you’ll be less likely to order food online. Do not go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, temptation might be too great and you’ll end up with a few items that you did not need. When you go out for dinner make sure that you go somewhere where there will be healthier options to choose from.
Eat the rainbow
No, I’m not talking about skittles or M&M’s, but rather foods that are vibrant and colourful in nature. These foods are usually the most nutrient dense and health boosting foods. A simple habit of making your plate as colourful as possible with fruits and vegetables will help you to fuel your body with all of the nutrients it needs. I opt for fruit first thing in the morning and then vegetables throughout the day.
track what you eat
I know that tracking is sometimes boring and time consuming, but when you start out I highly recommend to keep track of what you are eating and how many calories you are consuming. This will help you so that you make sure you stay aligned with your goals. It helps to keep you accountable, because you will have to log that chocolate chip cookie or three you had after lunch and you will see how many calories it was and how many nutrient dense food you could’ve eaten for that same amount of calories. MyFitnessPal is a very useful calorie and macronutrient tracker.
Watch your portions
I love a full plate of food, but most of the time a full plate means too many calories for a single meal. Try using side plates or smaller plates to dish up your food. Fill half of the plate with veggies or salad and then add the rest of your meal. Or split entrees when eating out. I love eating out of a bowl, but it can be deceiving. If you also love eating out of a bowl, empty it onto a plate to check your portion size to be able to control it. ChooseMyPlate has an amazing diagram to show how you can split your portions nicely.
Mindful eating
Mindful eating is about using mindfulness to reach a state of full attention to your experiences, cravings, and physical cues when eating
Fundamentally, mindful eating involves:
eating slowly and without distraction
listening to physical hunger cues and eating only until you’re full
distinguishing between true hunger and non-hunger triggers for eating
engaging your senses by noticing colours, smells, sounds, textures, and flavours
learning to cope with guilt and anxiety about food
eating to maintain overall health and well-being
noticing the effects food has on your feelings and figure
appreciating your food
These things allow you to replace automatic thoughts and reactions with more conscious, healthier responses
Create activity
There are countless reasons for adding more activity to your everyday life. When you choose a healthier lifestyle, you want to incorporate as much activity as you can in your day. This could be as simple as choosing to walk on your lunch break or standing up at your desk every hour. Every additional movement that you introduce to your day will benefit your health. Also find a workout program that will work best for you and something that you can stick to and enjoy. If you enjoy doing something, you’ll want to do it more and more.
putting it all together
Firstly make sure that you are ready and committed to start a healthy lifestyle. After that incorporate all of the tips above at your own pace to be able to carry on your journey. Lastly remember to make a plan or get a plan from someone who has put it all together that you’ll be able to follow and maintain for the rest of your life.