Tips to Start a Healthy Lifestyle

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When looking to change your lifestyle there are a few important things to remember and tips to help you get started.

1. All SMALL CHANGES will make a difference in the long run. People look to make big changes to their lifestyle to see dramatic changes, but these changes are unrealistic and do not last. The second you go back to not exercising and eating the way you used to all that hard work you put in will reverse. Doing things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or drinking water instead of soda can have a big impact in your health.
2. MOVE MORE. The more you move, the better your physical and mental health will be. Research shows that spending just 5 minutes exercising outside can improve an individual's mood. A good way to help you move more is by getting a pedometer or a fitness tracker of some sort. Basic pedometers are inexpensive and help you reach your movement goal faster. Every day and individual should aim for 10,000 steps. This can be unrealistic depending on your job so as long as you get at least 70,000 steps per week this can improve your health. This doesn't mean go out for a long run on Saturday and get in all your steps for the week; this means that if you work a desk job if one day it sedentary (less the 5,500 steps) make sure to move more the next day to make up for it.
3. Sleep is important. The QUALITY of your sleep is more important than the quantity of your sleep. This means that you should focus more on getting better quality of sleep than how long you actually sleep. At night, put down the phone. The blue light from your phone, television, or computer causes your brain to think that it is still daytime and wakes your brain up more; putting down the electronics and reading a book before bed can have more of an impact than you think. Sleep should also not be sacrificed for work. The quality of your work goes down when you are sleep deprived and you turn out to be less productive.
4. Eat healthier. Everybody says just eat healthier, it's easy. The reality is that it is NOT EASY. First, put all of the unhealthy food you have towards the back of your fridge, freezer, or cabinet. If you have fruit or healthy snacks put them on the counter or in eye sight and you will be more likely to eat them first. DO NOT skip breakfast. Most people do not eat breakfast because they claim they do not have time or aren't hungry. A solution to both of those problems is prepackaging healthy snacks to take on the go with you. Meal prepping can help change your diet because the food you have prepared is what you are more likely to eat because it takes less effort, especially after a long day of work.

These are just a few tips to use when starting to change your lifestyle. Remember that all of these changes will have an impact, but they take time. Don't give up because you aren't seeing quick results, most lifestyle changes take months or even up to a year to show their affect.