It’s been over two years since I decided to make some pretty basic changes to my every day habits and ended up drastically changing my life.
For those of you who don’t remember, this is me in early 2012.
Here I am at with one of my favorite Disney characters earlier this year.
I’ve mentioned this before, but I want to stress that this isn’t about losing weight, it is about making choices to have a healthier lifestyle. In my case, these choices led to a 25 pound weight loss, but I know many other people who have lost less weight (or none at all), but feel amazing and are so much healthier.
That’s what it’s all about folks!
I realize the hardest part of change is actually getting started. There have been times over the past two years where I’ve been sick, traveling, or moving and gotten out of my routine. It is hard to get it back, but it is always worth it.
Here are my top five healthy living hacks that helped me get fit for good.
Drink more water.
You hear people say this all the time, because it is true. One of the big things for me was cutting out sodas. I increased my water intake every day and felt a lot better.
It was hard to get through the caffeine and sugar withdrawals, but once I did I felt so much better. I’ll still have a soda, but not every day and I drink 10-12 glasses of water every day.
Stock up on healthy snacks.
One of the easiest ways to make healthier food choices is to have healthy foods in the house. If there are items you know like to snack on that are not the best, don’t keep them around.
You won’t have to decide between a bag of chips and a piece of fruit, vegetables, or nuts if you don’t have a bag of chips in the first place.
Exercise regularly.
Once I started exercising I realized it was something I enjoyed and it became a hobby. Not everyone loves to exercise, but I highly recommend doing regular physical activity three to four days a week.
It could be as simple as talking a walk around the neighborhood, going for a bike ride, or taking up yoga or pilates in your home.
Exercising regularly has been shown to help with headaches (including migraines), sleep issues, and is a great stress reliever. Even if you only can squeeze in 30 minutes three times a week, it will change your life.
Increase your protein.
If you are working out regularly it is important to increase your protein. I’m not recommending any specific diet (because I don’t follow one) but increasing my protein was very helpful.
I prefer lean meats (like chicken and fish), nuts, beans, smoothies and milk or Silk if you cannot have regular milk.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time.
As a mom, this might be one of the hardest changes you have to make. It is hard to go to bed at the same time every night because usually that is prime time for getting things done without the kids around. Going to bed at 10pm one night and 2am the next night, and waking up at different times can leave you feeling tired and out of energy.
I try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. There are always exceptions, but for the most part when I’m in a routine I’m feeling my best.
Getting healthy is hard, but the hardest part is getting started!
Try making one small change a week at first and before long you will be feeling better and on your way to a healthier way of life.
Leave a Reply