When you are starting on a new journey to become healthier, it's overwhelming! No wonder people have a hard time starting or committing when there are so many things you could start changing. I'm breaking it down for you. Start at 1 or 17. Pick a few or do them all!
All of these are great ways to start becoming a healthier version of you.
1. Quick Daily Planning Session
I find this the most beneficial the night before but morning works well too. I both look at my schedule for the day but also my top 3 goals or priorities.
2. Listen To A Podcast
I fill my day with these nuggets or motivations and insights. They work well during my workouts, car ride or during my workday. Here's my top 5 I listen to weekly.
3. Grab Your Kids For A Sweat Session
Combining kids laughter with physical exercise is a double win. I often lack the time to get my own workout in but instead of my kids being an excuse I make it an activity!. Check out my HIIT Workout With Kids.
4. Start With Your Mind
Our minds are our most powerful assets and if we aren't conscious of our habitual cycles, it's hard to get out of them. Learn how to Condition Your Mind like a muscle.
5. Stretch It Out
It's not just a pre-requisite for working out but there is a lot of benefits of regular stretching like increased blood flow, reduced tension and better posture just to name a few.
6. Set Your Mind Right
I love getting insight from powerful people in our past or present people sharing their journey's. Grit & Grace is a great book I ready daily to remind me of what can be accomplished.
7. Build Your Confidence (and pass it on)
Being a woman comes with a whole different set of rules. Often times we let our lack of confidence get in the way of us living up to our potential. I've found a unique twist with the Confidence Edge.
8. Eat breakfast.
With PCOS and a Thyroid condition my body often gets out of whack and gains weight for no reason. I become tired, mentally unfocused and a number of other things. I found one product I consume daily to help jump start my day, keep me focused and it kick-started my 25 pound weight loss, which you can read more about here .
9. Donate — anything. (Time, money, etc.)
This can be so impactful. I have been show compassion and support with people's time and money and choose to reciprocate. I am on a campaign cabinet for the United Way and they provide a ton of community support through a variety of organizations as well as offer many ways to volunteer in your local community. Its a win-win for everyone.
10. Get fresh air.
There’s something about a tidy home or work-space that provides that often sought-after peace-of-mind.
11. Consistent Hydration
We've all heard we should drink water. But it's not just a "diet" thing. It makes your body function at its peak. It decreases bloating, flushes toxins and can curb those "hunger" thoughts. Get a Motivational Water Tracker Bottle to help keep you accountable.
12. Plank Daily
It's the daily habit of this strength training pose that works all major abdominal muscles, while also strengthening your shoulder, chest, neck, glute, quadriceps, and back muscles. It also improves posture can be a great brain break in your day. Yes, I do these in my office.
13. Have a morning routine.
That first cup of coffee when you wake up in the morning… Freakin’ bliss, isn’t it? Here’s a few more reasons you should consider becoming a morning person.
14. Don't Forget Your Vitamins
Vitamin C brightens up your dull, winter skin, and producing collagen (the underlying structure to our skin), which helps with elasticity and brightness. It also reduces the length of cold and flu symptoms, which I know I’ll undoubtedly need to take advantage of this season.
Just one 8-ounce glass of Trop50 has 120% of your recommended daily Vitamin C (even though it contains 50% fewer calories and sugar than regular OJ). It’s a source of potassium, too.
15. Daily Gratitude
I learned this process from Rachel Hollis in her Last 90 Days Challenge I participated in. The individual impact of any one piece of gratitude is small, but the cumulative effect is huge. Daily focus on being grateful for things in your life and change your entire mindset! Write 3 things down daily and let them always be different.
16. Evaluate Realistically.
I try to take it all on but i've had a few moments of demand exceeds resources and I've had to make cuts. When you look at your goals, look also at your current demand and learn where priorities outrank the "should do".
17. Use a face mask.
It offers you a few minutes of much needed self care and revitalizes your skin. There are so many to choose from but I regularly cycle through a Charcoal Perfecting Mask, an Exfoliating Mask and a Skin Brightening mask to keep my skin in check.
18. Rinse your body with cold water after a shower.
First, it's good for your hair. Rinsing your hair with cold water helps with closing your cuticle after your hair is washed which leads to shiny, healthy and frizz-free hair. Plus, it keeps your body healthy, keeps your joints and inflammation down, vasoconstricts everything down, squeezing out all of that lactic acid which can aid in recovery time if you are exercising.
19. Always Learn And Grow
They say if "you aren't growing, you're dying". I really make sense. Grab a book (or an audible recording) and improve your personal game. Here are 5 books that will help you do that.
20. Meditate using an app like Headspace.
My mind is ALWAYS running and I find things like meditating hard. This headspace app makes it super easy and guides you through how to meditate to be the most beneficial for you reducing stress and even perceived stress. Who knew!?
21. Simple Swaps
Making an effort to eat a little healthier at meal adds up: Skip the cheese on your sandwich, use less sugar in your coffee and so on. I switched it almond milk as a creamer and for my shakes and never looked back. Simple swaps can make all the difference.
22. Sleep. Period.
It's crazy that 35% of adults don’t get enough sleep (7 hours per day). Chronic lack of sleep, or getting poor quality sleep, increases the risk of disorders including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity. Find out How Your Sleep Could Be Destroying Your Health.
23. Smile and laugh for no (and every) reason.
We often let our mood depict our facial expressions but reversing it could change everything. Smiling can trick the body into helping you elevate your mood because the physical act of smiling actually activates neural messaging in your brain. Plus, people are more attracted and likely to hang around those of a better mood. It's contagious!
24. Have realistic expectations.
Making even a marginal effort to take better care of yourself will help you stay grounded, happy and healthy throughout the holiday season. Everyday is different — remember that. It’s all good (and it will be).
25. Put yourself FIRST
I know we all think that we should serve everyone else and we should, HOWEVER, we can't serve them well if we are depleting ourselves. Making time for yourself is so key! Even if it's 15 minutes here or there to regroup, meditate, take a quick nap or whatever it is. Make a list of 15 minute activities that calm you or offer a distraction. I like to do a 15 minute power podcast in the middle of the day to focus on something else for a bit.
Incorporate a few of these wellness hacks into your daily routine and watch as they become habit! Join the FREE 30 Day Revitalize U Challenge for help changing bad and creating good habits, and improving your health and fitness.