5 simple healthy habits can start today.
Often times when we begin thinking about becoming healthy and establishing new habits, our vision is so big that we become overwhelmed to even begin. Negative thought processes enter our mind saying things to ourselves like.
I don’t have the time.
I don’t have the energy.
There is so much going on.
Healthy foods are expensive.
I don’t know where to start.
Just like you, I have been exactly where you are and I still find myself in this place a decade later. Being healthy is not linear, there is no straight line towards habits because they fluctuate over time based on life’s circumstances. Here are a few examples of how life can change and alter your established habits.
Getting a new job.
Different work schedule or hours.
School and education.
Sickness in the family.
Death of a loved one.
Caring for loved ones.
New baby.
Children and school/activities.
Depression/Illness/Recovery.
Moving and relocation.
Pandemic and accessibility.
So what do you do to remain as consistent as possible? How do you persevere through the changes of life. Throughout the past decade, I have experienced possibly all of the above and I have navigated myself around them sometimes successfully and sometimes not so well. Here are some basic healthy habits that I have found to be helpful during even the most difficult times.
- Sleep
Go to sleep for as long as you can. The recommendation for adults is 7–9 hours. According to https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/what-is-healthy-sleep healthy sleep will “improve learning, memory, creativity, and mood”. This is easier said than done. With children, stress, and other life things, sleep gets thrown out on the back burner. With that being said, do whatever you can to make it better. Change your nightly habits (get rid of the phone), sneak in naps, and maybe skip that workout if you need to in fact sleep.
2. Water
We all know this too well. But are you drinking enough water all day? Can you say that consistently you drink the recommended amount and what other drinks are you consuming that could be traded out for the best drink that there is. We are talking small goals here so I recommend first thing in the morning drinking 16 oz of water before consuming anything else. And trade out one other drink each day with another 16 oz of water.
3. Nutrition
I’m sure that you knew that this was coming. You do not have to get buried in the diet culture of today. These fad diets have one not so beautiful thing in common. They typically are not sustainable for your whole life so you have to ask yourself, are you really building a healthy habit? I am here to offer simple advice and I will do the same for nutrition. Let’s start easy. Focus on adding the following items into your diet each day:
Leafy Greens — arugula, spinach, kale.
Berries — blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries.
Root vegetables — sweet potatoes, beets, or carrots.
Seeds and Nuts — cashews, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, or flax.
Probiotic — yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, or kombucha.
Lean proteins — chicken, salmon, beans.
4. Movement
Here is another part of health that can be confusing and misleading. What exercise is the best exercise? I have the answer. Any exercise is the best exercise, just move. To begin, I would recommend choosing 3–4 days per week for 20 minutes each. Go outside for a walk, search an at home video for free online, or find an exercise class that you would enjoy doing. Remember, this should not be complicated and overwhelming. This should be simple and sustainable so that you can continue for the rest of your life.
5. Mindfulness
Quite possibly negative thoughts are causing undue stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability and overall contributing to your health in a bad way. Focus on the goodness in your life. What is positive in your life right now. What simple actions can you take throughout the day that make you feel joy. Do you need to separate yourself from people or things that are taking your energy and space and creating insecurity. What is the source? Is it your relationships, your jobs, hobbies, or environment. Find the root cause of negativity and practice ways in which you can make changes or find acceptance to overcome. Focus on faith and spirituality, mental health, rest, or the art of positive thinking. The work of the mind could in fact be one of the most difficult to navigate, but I can assure you that it can become the foundation of wellness.
There you have it. I could go on for pages and pages adding in more and more, but this is just your simple start. These are the basics. When you find yourself getting to a point in your life where you feel unbalanced and off track, just remember to keep things easy.
