7 Tips to Build Healthy Lifestyle HABITS

1. CHECK YOURSELF

Be honest with yourself about where you are & where you want to be. Growth has a never ending cap, so aim high! Give yourself some credit that you’ve come far enough to realize something has to give if you want to achieve those goals. Get that physical, take those unflattering pictures, look up inspiration- do whatever will get you going to start working toward a better version of yourself NOW.

2. CLEAN HOUSE

Make a list of your bad eating habits and excuses you’ve made for not being active. Find solutions. It’s that simple. Throw away the bad stuff you have in your pantry! Clean out your fridge! Restock on the good stuff, and make it a point to stay aware. Break out the clothes that no longer fit and store them somewhere you’ll see them to keep yourself inspired. Communicate your goals with those around you. Learn and acknowledge your bad habits and be proactive about doing better. Do it today, not tomorrow.

3. FIND HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES

Learning how to adjust and adapt is life. Everyone knows fast food is not good food. They always say preparation is key… and failing to plan is planning to fail. Meal prepping is ideal, but honestly everyone may not have the time- or the funds to have someone do it for them. Is that an excuse? NO. The internet makes things so accessible these days where you can literally google everything. Learn how to modify your diet and eat healthier. Finding substitutions and modifications in the food department is not only easy, but actually pretty fun. Options really are endless. Trade Honey for sugar. Craving pasta? Try veggie noodles. Avoid bleached flour and go for coconut flour. Put down the vegetable oil and get some olive oil. Instead of frying your food, try grilling or baking. Eat for your individual goals and get creative. Your body will thank you sooner than later.

4. FIND ACCOUNTABILITY

Learn how to surround yourself with inspiring stimuli. It’s a fact that we are influenced by our surroundings. I like to put inspiring and motivational quotes on post it notes on my bathroom mirror. Try changing the wallpaper on your phone or computer to something that inspires you. Set an alarm on your phone with a custom message. Make a vision board from magazine clippings or pictures you print from the internet and display it somewhere you’ll see it frequently. There are plenty of ways you can give yourself small subliminal ques that can lead to huge manifestations. If personal accountability is more your preference, hire a personal trainer (cough cough 😬) to push and motivate you whether virtually or in person or get a workout buddy that is as serious as you. As stated earlier, communicate your goals to the ones closest to you. Get everyone on board. You’ve made a decision to better yourself, stick to it. Hold yourself accountable and don’t depend on anyone else to do it for you. Having extra support is just that, extra. Learn how to motivate yourself. This is your life, you deserve it.

5. BALANCE

All work no play is no bueno. Balance and moderation is imperative. It is the key of life. Scientifically, it takes 21 days to build a habit. Do not expect to completely stop craving donuts just because you decided you want to lose weight. Have a donut, and eat healthy the rest of the day, or eat it early on in the day and be active afterwards. Crash dieting is NOT the recommended. Quitting something cold turkey may work for some, but it’s not necessarily the most realistic route to take. Building healthy lifestyle habits is the objective, not doing something for a few days and then backtracking. Now that you’ve decided to be more active, don’t try and go from zero to 100. Find balance. Allow your body to rest and recouperate. Over exception leads to injury or limited functionality. Do not overtrain, or undereat. Finding balance in all aspects of your life can be a process. Allow yourself the time to adjust. As long as you start today, you’re closer than you were yesterday.

6. FIND THE FUN

Find a method of fitness you enjoy. Whether it’s running, strength training, power lifting, or whatever it may be…try new ways to train. Break up the monotony. You also don’t have to technically workout to be active. You can discover new hobbies like taking different classes (I teach 3 bootcamps a week ), rock climbing, indoor/ice skating, swimming, surfing, go bowling, join a recreational sports league…SOMETHING is always better than nothing! There are plenty of fun things to do that engage you physically. You can literally burn calories WHILE having fun. You don’t necessarily have to go to the gym to get some exercise. Get some fresh air and take a walk, rent a bike, go hiking and enjoy beautiful views, do SOMETHING, and get moving….TODAY!

7. DON’T QUIT!!! How many times have you heard that consistency is key? Too much right? Well, then believe it, and live by it. Nothing worth having comes easy so be prepared to work for what you want. A little investment goes a long way-sometimes that includes mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and even financial sacrifices. Patience is something even I myself continue to improve on daily. Turning back when you’ve genuinely set your heart and mind to something is worse than quitting, it’s giving up on yourself. You are worth more than that. Little by little chip away at the iceberg and soon enough, you’re swimming in clear waters. Don’t give up. Finish what you’ve started. Do something to be proud of. Accomplishments are nothing without hard work.

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