How to create long term habits to live a healthier lifestyle.

Do you wake up feeling sluggish most mornings? Have you found yourself relying on caffeine and junk food to get you through your day? If this sounds familiar, it's time to look into your daily activities and come up with a plan to improve your life. Changing your habits can seem like a daunting task, but if you follow these steps, you'll be feeling healthier and happier in no time!

Set Long Term Goals.

In order to have a plan in place, you need to know what you're working towards. The first step to making a change is knowing what your end goal is. If your big picture goal is to be healthy, think of what that consists of and break it down to smaller categories and then get specific. Being healthy means getting adequate sleep, eating nourishing foods, drinking enough water, and moving your body consistently. Your long term goal could look something like this: I want to get eight hours of sleep every night, eat 4-5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day, drink 72 ounces of water every day, and work out 4 times a week.

Start Small

In order to be successful, you don't want to get overwhelmed by trying to change everything all at once. Pick one behavior and slowly add it into your existing routine. Most people struggle with making healthy choices at meal time. Instead of going cold turkey and cutting out your favorite foods, start by adding vegetables to one meal a day. When you're able to do this consistently, add veggies to a second meal each day. Work your way up. Start by going for a walk after work or on your lunch break once a week, then twice, and so on. Small adjustments to your daily life will seem easy to accomplish and will be easier to stick to long term.

Get Rid of the 'All or Nothing' Mentality.

Having an all or nothing mentality is the best way to self sabotage. If you're trying to cut down on sugars, and you end up eating a candy bar or having a soda, remember that you didn't destroy all of your previous efforts. The goal is to not be perfect, but to be better than before. If you eat something you weren't intending to, don't allow yourself to spiral. Just continue on with your day and continue making healthy choices. You can still go on your daily walk and drink all your water. One slip up won't ruin all your progress. And remember, the healthiest life is one that has balance. You can still enjoy the foods you love and have treats. The goal is to eat healthy foods the majority of the time, not all the time.

Find a Way to Make Healthier Choices Easy Choices.

If you're struggling eating healthy foods or drinking water instead of soda or alcohol, do what you can to make the choice as easy as possible. Instead of buying chips to snack on, buy a package of pre cut fruit or a veggie plate. Purchase a water filter you can keep in your fridge and don't keep your fridge stocked with the items you're trying to cut back on. It's ok to buy a bottle of wine to enjoy from time to time, but don't keep multiple bottles accessible at all times. If you do have new packages of food or drinks that you don't want to throw away, put them in a cabinet that doesn't get opened very often. This will ease the temptation.

If you're finding it difficult to stay consistent with your workouts, try finding a workout partner or hiring a personal trainer. It's harder to skip the gym when someone else is relying on you to be there.

If you're struggling to stick to a plan, are feeling overwhelmed, or you just don't know where to start, schedule your free consultation today.