You know you need to change your life to become healthier. But how? There is so much info out there, so many different programs, diets, and health gurus. They all claim to be or have the holy grail for a better life. But all of them are different and often contradict each other. And while they all want to help you lead a healthier life, the only thing they do is leave you confused and overwhelmed. Let’s change that!
Becoming healthier is not rocket science. As much as some people want you to believe you need to invest a lot of money into fancy products or follow a certain diet to the T, it’s really not that complicated. Here is a step by step guide to better health:
1. Goals
You need to have a goal. You need to know where you’re going. If you don’t have a goal, you are missing direction and you have no way to track if what you are doing is actually working
If you need help creating powerful goals that will keep you motivated, you can download my free goal setting worksheet here
2. Food and Hydration
This is the part where most people freak out simply because there is so much different information out there. Low carb? High Protein? Paleo? Intermitted Fasting? Cleanses? Arrrrrgh!! Keep it simple! If one of your goals is to lose some extra pounds, start with portion control. Recommended portion sizes are in most of the cases much smaller than what we find on our plates on a regular basis. The second step is to add more vegetables to your diet. Vegetables are high in fiber, contain lots of nutrients, and are low in calories. It’s a win-win….win! And lastly, make sure you are hydrated throughout the day. Water is our life elixir! Without it, we are not able to survive. Most of us only give our body a small percentage of what it actually needs to function properly. Try to slowly increase your water intake to at least 60oz a day.
3. Move
The next step to becoming healthier is increasing our daily activity level. Most of us are leading a very sedentary lifestyle. We sit at work for 8 hours a day, we sit for breakfast, lunch, and finally, we have dinner on the sofa and sit a little more to watch TV. The problem? Our bodies are not designed to sit! They are designed to move. The easy solution: MOVE!! Park farther away from the office or the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or go for walks during lunch break. I know you’ve heard all this before but are you actually doing it?
4. Work out
Workouts are another topic were a lot of people get confused. What are the best exercises for weight loss? How often per week should I workout? Cardio or strength training? The answer here is again simple. The best workout is the one you will stick to. The best workout routine won’t do you any good if you don’t follow it. If you like to dance, dance! If you like to lift, lift! If you like to swim, swim! Choose a plan or activity and stick with it! The key is always consistency. And please, please realize that change takes time! There is no magic pill! Only continuous effort will lead to lasting results.
5. Accountability
Following your plan is not always easy. There will be days when you don’t feel like getting up and putting the work in. That’s when it’s most important to have somebody who can keep you accountable. Find a support group of like-minded people who are on the same journey, have a workout buddy or hire a coach. Everybody is different. Find the system that works best for you!
If you follow this guide and implement as much of it as you can, you are well on your way to better health!
Written by: Jen
The Best Online Personal Trainer for Women
