All together now…
I want to live a healthier life!
We have all started off the new year setting amazing goals to eat better and live healthier. Great goal!
Or at least it sounds great, right?
We all know we need to live healthy lives which includes diet and exercise. Nike says. ‘Just Do It’, however, what we haven’t heard is how?
We see Facebook and Instagram posts of before and after pics showing how others have lost weight and proud of it. I must say that yes, they can be frustrated if you are struggling.
So…How did they decide to Just Do It?
Well, the truth is they didn’t ‘Just Do It’ they made a Decision to do it.
They shifted their mind from being comfortable with where they were to moving forward and changing their lifestyle. Easy peasy right?
NOT!
(Insert a stop sign)
It is not about being easy, it’s about not relying on motivation to make a change.
Motivation can change day by day, minute by minute and is completely unreliable. What you can count on is life will keep moving forward whether you feel motivated to change or not.
Believe me when I say, I am preaching to the choir. I need to hear this too.
So here is the best way to look at change. Make a change whether I feel like it or not.
Look at all the things you do already in life without thinking about whether you want to do them. If you are a wife, mother, friend, or employee you do things every day without much thought of whether or not you like doing it.
Some of those things include:
- Waking up early
- Listening to a friend when you are tired
- Cooking dinner after a long day
- Working on an assignment with a lazy coworker
Either way, sometimes we do things we don’t like. So…..why can’t we take the same actions when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle?
Truth is, We can. You have proven it time and time again. Think about that.
(Insert someone thinking)
Here are six ways to help you make a Decision to start toward living a healthy lifestyle:
- Decide what a healthy lifestyle looks like to you.
What do you want? Do you want to lose weight, gain weight or tone up your body? Only you know what you want.
Your decision should not be made based on what you see online but how you want to look and feel. If you need to amp up your exercise routine or just start one, make sure you are doing something you enjoy!
Do you need to spend more time with the people closest to you? Keep in mind, when talking about friends and family make sure you are choosing people who build you up not those that appease bad behavior.
Choose your friends wisely. Make sure your workout buddy will not let you off the hook too quickly. After all, they are there to help not hinder.
- Look in the mirror.
Change begins with you. Decide you are important enough to be the best and healthiest you can be. Look at yourself for 2 minutes.
Don’t say a word during those 2 minutes and just enjoy the gift of being who you are without judgement (we all have made mistakes we are not proud of with our bodies if you are overweight).
Don’t let that image get you down. It took you ‘x’ number of years to get there.
So be patient. The finish line is placed where you set it. 90 days, 6 months or a year. You choose.
Just appreciate every curve or dimple in your thigh, every line in your face, or your straight, curly or kinky hair. It’s all You. And today, it is Okay.
Seriously, love the skin you are in knowing it was gifted to you and you are uniquely and wonderfully made.
- Say affirmations first thing in the morning.
“You mean talk to myself?”
That’s right. Make your voice the most positive voice you hear all day long.
So what are affirmations?
They are words of encouragement and positivity you say to yourself every day.
Start by looking in the mirror. You can say things that may sound something like this:
“Every day I am getting closer to the person I want to be. I am open minded about opportunities and welcome change that will benefit my life. I have people around me who encourage me and push me forward. I love the person I am today and am excited about the growth I will see in myself tomorrow. Now let’s go and grow!
Corny? Maybe. People like Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Tony Robbins all swear by affirmations. The belief being, you should speak positively about yourself before anyone else does.
It builds up your self-worth and propels your day.
- Choose healthy eating options
Easier said than done. Start small by replacing three unhealthy items with three healthy ones.
For example, make the following substitutions:
Soda for flavored sparkling water
Chips for
- Begin with the end in mind
Get a good night sleep.
(Insert someone sleeping)
I am not talking about just going to bed but go to bed early if your day allows it.
Plan to get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep. Did you catch that? PLAN.
This involves making a date with yourself each night to go to bed at the same time.
Teach yourself how to wind down from the day and create a nighttime routine.
Your body needs good rest to be at peak performance to exercise and start your day. Sleep deprivation is not healthy for your mind and body.
Eliminate all distractions. This would include scrolling social media. Yep, I said it. Put your phone away.
In fact, create a place for it across the room so you must get out of bed to turn off you alarm.
Remember lack of sleep is definitely a distraction in your day.
Creating a new habit begins by preparing the night before. Lay out your workout clothes and have everything prepared to get your body moving.
Make the process simple and easy for you to avoid any problems in the morning.
- Plan your day
Knowing what you are going to do the night before helps keep you focused on the tasks at hand.
Many things will come your way and distract you, however, having a plan allows you to know whether or not those distractions can have a place in your day.
Obviously, things happen and plans change that are beyond your control. If not, JUST SAY NO!
You know the old saying,
Fail to plan, plan to fail
Planning involves knowing what you are going to eat for the day, when you will exercise and when you will sleep.
These are your priorities. Work is secondary to what you have to do to take care of yourself.
If you don’t, who will?
Your family and friends will get a better you if you take care of yourself.
Therefore, it may involve getting up an hour early to make sure you make yourself a priority.
(insert someone happy)
There are so many options to help get you started and to help you stay encouraged.
Healthy living forums and Facebook and other support groups for you to join and learn from.
Shifting your relationship with how you see view working out and yourself can be the difference between healthy living and just living. Believe me, I have been on both ends of the spectrum and I am still a work in progress but making progress is the key.