A health overhaul can feel complicated, but these simple steps will get you started”one step at a time.
Get Moving
Make a conscious effort to take the stairs, park in further parking spot, take your dog for a daily walk (like Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel) or sign up for a dance class. Just taking these small steps to get you moving will add up and eventually lead to better health.
Try this: buy a pedometer and add at least 1000 steps per day to your average until you reach 10,000.
Up your super food intake
Just adding super-foods such as sweet potatoes, spinach and blueberries to your diet will provide the nutrients and antioxidants your body needs to kick start a healthy lifestyle. You’ll notice that you feel more energetic after a couple of weeks.
Try this: mix blueberries, a banana and orange juice for a healthy smoothie. Add spinach to your pasta for an iron-rich dinner and mix a baked sweet potato into a container of hummus for a healthy and bright snack.
Stretch
Stretching helps oxygen reach your muscles, giving you more energy and strength and helping you avoid injuries. It’s a great way to stay in-tune with any tight areas in your body that need more attention.
Try this: when you wake up, hit the snooze button for a 10-minute stretch (instead of a 10-minute snooze). You can also work stretching into your daily activities. Brushing your teeth? Use this time to stretch your hamstrings. Tying your shoes? Stretch your calves.
Sleep
Sleep gives your immune system time to repair itself so that you can avoid getting sick, overly stressed and exhausted. Make sure you are getting 7-8 hours a night to feel refreshed in the morning. Having trouble getting to sleep?
Try this: Keep a journal and write down what you are thinking about, how your are feeling and what happened that day to try and get an idea of what it is that keeps you from a restful sleep. After a couple of weeks you’ll start to notice a pattern and then you can take steps to resolve those issues. Sweet dreams!
De-stress
Some people don’t realize just how much stress can affect their health. Pinpoint what it is that causes you the most stress, and then start to think of ways to minimize it.
Try this: a new activity, a hobby or 30 minutes of alone time each day. It will help you on your way to becoming stress-free (or at least get you to a healthy stress level).
