August 2022

5 Practical Ways to get Healthier THIS WEEK

When you decide that it's time to make healthier lifestyle choices, it's important to avoid overthinking and making the process too complicated.  Small changes can go a long way and the key is to START!  Don't delay any further by getting stuck on the details.  Pick one thing and do it!  Once you get started, you build momentum, and each action you take puts you closer to your goals.

Try to avoid the "all or nothing" mentality and instead strive for "always something". 

There's no time like the present and it's possible to start feeling healthier this week.  Keep reading for 5 practical tips to help you move in the right direction.  You don't need to do all 5 things at once...you just have to start somewhere and do something!

⓵ Be kind to yourself

Let's start with something that you already know (hopefully).  No one is perfect!  Striving for perfection is a great way to set yourself up for failure.  You are more than capable of meeting your health goals, and it's necessary to be patient throughout the process and to give yourself grace along the way.

“You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise Hay

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⓶ Don't stress about exercise

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't get moving!  It just means that you don't need to get stressed out thinking about all of the various aspects of exercise.  For now, focus on aiming for increased movement instead.  Think about all of the ways that you could easily increase your daily physical activity.  Every little bit counts toward getting you healthier.  

Could you...

➳ Walk the dog 5 minutes longer?

➳ March in place during commercial breaks?

➳ Skip the elevator at work?

➳ Dance to your favorite song?

➳ Stand up to fold clothes?

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⓷ Order the small fries

And skip the soda...

Instead of going cold turkey and giving up fast food entirely, start by adjusting your portion sizes and choices.  If you take a moment to examine your typical food choices, it's likely that you can identify easy ways to cut back.

Do you know what's the healthiest menu item at your favorite take-out spot? Have you tried it?

Do you love Chinese food... or Italian... or Soul Food?  That's fine, but usually, the portions are way too large.  An easy way to manage this is to immediately portion out half of the dish to eat and pack the rest away to save for tomorrow.

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⓸ One-up your daily veggies

Regardless of where you're starting, eat just one extra serving of vegetables each day.  Soooo... if you currently don't eat veggies at all, your new goal is just one serving.  Easy right?? 

One portion of veggies is approximately the size of your fist.

Frozen vegetables are an affordable, convenient, and healthy option, and there's lots of variety available.    

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⓹ Act like a kid!

You should never stop playing!  As adults, we often take ourselves too seriously.  Doing enjoyable activities is a great way to boost your mental and physical health.  When you laugh and play, your body releases hormones that ward off stress and make you feel good.  

What is something that you loved to do as a kid?

Whatever it is, go out and do it!  Your body will thank you 😊.

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This week is just the beginning for you and any of these 5 tips can serve as a good starting point toward your goal of getting healthier.

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

– Martin Luther King Jr.

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