How to be Healthy
How to be healthy seems to be a popular question at the moment and it can seem like a daunting task in the beginning! Especially when the common misconception is that to do this you have to work out 24/7 and never eat anything bad again! It can also feel like there simply isn’t enough time to fit these changes in. But it doesn’t have to be difficult; here are 8 small, easily achievable steps that you can take to become a happier and healthier you.
Positive Mindset
Your brain can produce substances that have been proven to strengthen your immune system and improve your overall health. So, before making lifestyle changes let’s first focus on your mental health. Start by thinking more positively and focusing on gratitude; keeping a gratitude journal is an excellent way of training yourself to become more positive. Once you’re in the right mindset you’ll be more likely to commit to making other lifestyle changes.
Eating Healthy
Aim for a minimum of 5 a day – fruits and vegetables are packed full of different vitamins, minerals and nutrients that all contribute to a healthy, balanced diet. We are all used to hearing this advice yet so many of us don’t do it when it’s actually very easy to achieve; add an extra portion of vegetables to your dinner (I always load my plate with spinach before serving my dinner), snack on a piece of fruit or vegetable sticks, add a handful of berries to your breakfast, prepare a smoothie the night before. Sounds doable right? Check out some of my healthy recipes, they are quick and easy to make and are packed full of yummy veggies.
Meal Prep
Finding the time, or the energy, to prepare meals on a weekday is difficult; we’re often too tired and we don’t feel like doing is spending hours in the kitchen. Ringing any bells? The solution to that is meal prep! Spend a couple of hours over the weekend preparing meals that you can freeze for the rest of the week – defrost, heat up, enjoy! Your very own ready meal, except yours, will be homecooked and healthy! If you don’t have a couple of hours to spare, cook extra every time you prepare a meal and freeze the leftovers.
Daily Exercise
Regular exercise has been proven to increase the production of hormones that make you feel happier, decrease stress, anxiety and depression and helps you sleep better. It’s also great for your bones, muscles, and losing weight. So, what are you waiting for? Exercising doesn’t have to be a crazy cardio session (although if that’s something you enjoy, I would recommend Lilly Sabri, Sydney Cummings or SELF who all have excellent workouts on YouTube.) It can just be a quick walk on your lunch break, dancing around the living room to your favourite songs, swimming, cycling, boxing, running. Whatever is it, as long as it gets your heart rate up it counts! The trick is to find something you enjoy doing, that way you’re more likely to stick to it!
Yoga
Yoga is a great form of gentle exercise meaning you don’t have to be super fit to enjoy it; there are levels to suit all abilities! It can help you relax, sleep better, decrease stress and anxiety and improve strength and flexibility.
My absolute favourite person for yoga is Yoga with Adriene; she’s warm, happy and really knows her stuff! It’s impossible not to feel happy after completing one of her videos.
Meditation
Meditation is becoming increasingly popular as people move towards a healthier, more holistic lifestyle. It has been proven to release hormones known for relieving stress and boosting your mood.
If you find meditation to be quite challenging; your mind wanders and you can’t maintain focus, then don’t worry! Try doing a yoga sequence that has a short meditation at the end instead. Adriene has some really gentle, calming yoga practices that are great after a stressful day.
Drink more water
Around 60% of your body is made up of water so it makes sense to keep that topped up, right? As well as keeping your fluids nicely balanced it can maintain healthy blood pressure, flush out waste, improve skin health and deliver oxygen throughout the body (to name a few.) There is no correct amount that you should be consuming a day, despite what you read. Try to increase your water consumption by swapping out sugary drinks with a glass of water and carry around a bottle with you wherever you go. Also, just trust your body; it will tell you what it needs.
Be Kind to Yourself
We are our own worst critics and are very quick to judge, but why? So, you didn’t do any exercise today or you forgot your meal prep and had beans on toast for dinner – don’t beat yourself up! Remember, no one is perfect and perfection isn’t a realistic goal. Instead, focus on changing one small thing at a time. Be kind to yourself and love yourself because you are amazing.
Also, make time for the things that make you smile whether that’s reading a book, watching Netflix, meeting up with friends or having a kitchen disco with your family. Give yourself something to look forward to and enjoy living!
I hope you have found this post interesting/useful/ inspiring – whatever it may be! Good luck on your journey to a happier, healthier you!
Love this, really informative, well done 👍
Thank you 🙂