At some point in everyone’s life, they realize that they have to start eating healthier and improving the level or quality of their exercise. It’s not an issue when you’re young and can get away with eating and doing what you want. But, as you age, it takes longer to heal, and you become more aware of mortality, and the likely occurrence of age-related diseases. That’s when you know it’s time to start living a healthier lifestyle.
Of course, you’re never too young or too old to make healthier choices. But, before you start you need to identify your ‘why’. You need to have a reason to change your lifestyle and it should be for yourself. That makes it much more likely that you’ll be successful.
Seek Help
The first stage is to identify your current state of health and deal with any specific ailments you have. That means you need to visit the doctor and have a check-up. This will identify any current issues or anything you are more likely to contract, usually thanks to family history.
If you have specific issues, such as a shoulder injury then seek professional help, such as from this shoulder specialist Sydney. They can advise you of the best treatment options and help to ensure you can make the most of your healthy lifestyle.
Look At Your Diet
It can be difficult to suddenly change everything you do. That’s why it is best to change things gradually. Rather than completely changing your diet and starting exercise, concentrate on changing your diet slowly. Allow yourself 3-6 months to change the way you eat and remember that this is a lifetime goal. You want to choose eating habits that you can adhere to forever.
The best approach is to simply cut your processed foods and prepare more things with fresh ingredients. Make sure it’s foods you like and allow yourself the odd ‘cheat’ day or item. It’s the easiest way to stay on track.
Add In Some Exercise
You already know that exercise is essential to a healthy lifestyle and decreases the chances of many age-related issues. But, many people are put off by the thought of running 5 miles a day or lifting weights at the local gym.
The good news is there are many other types of exercise you can do. It includes walking, gardening, tennis, swimming, and even cycling. In fact, any activity that increases your heart rate can be considered exercise.
Simply think of something you enjoy and start doing it every other day. If you find it fun then you’ll find it easier to create a habit and keep doing it for life.
Set Goals
Your goal is to build a healthy lifestyle. However, this can be difficult to define or set goals for. That’s why you need to think about smaller goals. These are definable and easier to reach. Setting goals means you have a target and can gain the satisfaction of reaching a goal.
Start small, aim to have one whole day in a week where you don’t eat any processed food. Increase this over several weeks and you’ll suddenly find you’re not eating any processed food at all. Best of all, you won’t be thinking about it and craving foods that aren’t so good for you.
The same approach can be adopted for exercise.
Buddy Up
No matter how good your intentions are, there will be days when you don’t feel like exercising or eating the right foods. This is when you’ll appreciate the benefits of a buddy. All you have to do is find a friend or partner that will commit to the same lifestyle as you. Then, you can exercise together and motivate each other. Having someone else makes you accountable which makes it much easier to adhere to your healthier lifestyle.
Keep A Journal
It’s a good idea to keep a journal. You should record in it daily what you have done to be healthier and where you have struggled. When you experience bad days you can look back through the journal and you’ll find it highly motivational. You’ll be able to see how much you have achieved and this will help you to keep going and continue to improve your lifestyle and health.
It’s All About Habits
It can take 6-10 weeks to create new habits, that’s why the first stages of any lifestyle change are the most important. However, by making small changes and sticking to them you’ll find it is easier to create new habits.
Once you’ve started your new habits you’ll find it strange to miss them. At this stage, you’ll be able to add more good habits and continue working towards a healthier you.
Providing you recognize that this is a long-term goal and a marathon, not a sprint, you’ll find it is easier than you think to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
