It’s January, and many people have just started their New Years’ resolutions. One of the most common resolutions people make is to get more healthy. Whether the goal is losing weight, exercising more, or simply eating less junk food, most of us have made a goal to get healthy at one time or another.
Even though we know it’s important to take care of ourselves, getting healthy isn’t always easy. I’ve spent many hours scouring Pinterest or searching the internet for tips to get healthy. There’s so much out there, it can be hard to find what’s right for you.
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Why Should We Get Healthy?
When thinking of tips to get healthy, we first need to think about your why. Why should we try to live a healthy lifestyle? Why is it important to take care of ourselves? There are several reasons why we should try to be healthy.
Look and Feel Better When You Get Healthy
One of the main reasons why people look for tips to get healthy is because we want to look better. We want to look trim and fit. Being able to fit into our clothes is a definite mood booster!
Even though I do like looking better, getting healthy also helps me feel better, too! I have more energy, my joints ache less, and I don’t get tired as easily. When I feel better, is so much easier to do everything that I need to do!
Getting Healthy Means You Can Stay Active
Most people want to stay active as long as possible. Keeping my independence and doing what I love is so important! Especially as I get older. Hopefully, if I take care of myself now, I will be able to stay more active in the future.
Nobody wants to think of needing constant care in our later years. We don’t want to have to rely on other people to take care of us if we don’t have to. Getting healthy (and staying that way) should help me stay active in my golden years.
Your Mental Health is Important for a Healthy Lifestyle
Scientists have been saying for years to exercise, and physical health can boost your mood. Elle Woods, the main character in “Legally Blonde” delivers an awesome line all about this topic. “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands. They just don’t.”
Her explanation is rather simple, but it does make sense. People that exercise regularly tend to be more healthy than those that don’t. Getting exercise does release endorphins. And these endorphins are a proven mood-boost. So not only will you feel and look better when you get healthy, but your mood will get a lift, too!
My 6 Best Tips to Get Healthy
Now that we’ve talked about reasons to get healthy, it’s time to do it! I’ve been thinking about the best ways I know to get healthy, and I’ve narrowed them down into 6 tips.
Now, none of these is a quick fix. We don’t gain weight or get out of shape overnight, so getting healthy won’t happen instantly either! But, if you’re willing to try, and put in a little time, you can use these simple health tips to get healthy now.
Eating Healthy Benefits You
Eating healthy is one of the first things you probably think of when you want to get healthy. What you put into your body is very important. The fuel you put in will eventually affect how you look and feel. You also have to figure out what works best for you.
One thing I try to remember when eating healthy is balance. Your body needs protein, carbohydrates, and fats to function correctly. So you need to have some of each of these in your diet.
Totally cutting out a whole food group can leave you feeling deprived and low on energy. Plus, food was meant to be enjoyed! Living on twinkies, chips, and soda isn’t good at all! But enjoying a little treat every so often will help you eat a balanced diet. Not feeling deprived can also help you stick with eating healthy most of the time!
Find a Fun Workout for a Healthier Life
Another important tip to get healthy is to work out. Our bodies need movement to stay strong and healthy. Not only does exercise build muscle, but it also helps all of our other systems “flow.” Our nerves, circulation, and digestive systems also work better when we get moving!
When looking for a way to exercise, it’s important to find something you LIKE to do. Finding a I know a lot of people who enjoy running, which inspired me to try it myself. And guess what: I HATED it! I was bored out of my mind the entire time.
10 years ago, my family started martial arts classes, which was a much better fit for me! It’s a great form of I’ve been able to stick with martial arts, which was something I struggled to do in my other workouts. So find a workout YOU enjoy! It will help you stick with it and get healthy.
Get Healthy With More Rest
You’d think this would be a no-brainer, but most of us (myself included) tend to forget how important rest is to our health. We actively think about eating better and getting more exercise. But when it comes to rest, that’s one of the tips to get healthy that we like to ignore!
Getting enough rest is oh so important for our health! For starters, sleep is time for your body to renew and repair brain cells. It’s also when we build our memory and creativity.
Did you also know sleep is important for maintaining a healthy weight? Too little sleep can make us sluggish and tired. Your body knows it needs some kind of fuel to make up the deficit. Many people running on lack of sleep end up eating more calories than they would normally do.
Sleep has so many benefits, but even taking a short breather can also help you get healthy. Taking a break from work can help you come back refreshed and ready to get the job done. Even one minute of focused breathing can lower your heart rate and help you regain focus. So be sure to take time to rest, and get plenty of sleep, to help you get healthy!
Self-Care Helps You Get Healthy
Going along with taking time to rest is practicing self-care, which is also an important simple health tip to follow. You can’t fill others up from an empty cup. So taking care of ourselves is extremely important for a healthier life.
Self-care is different for each person. For some, it might be reading a good book. For others, daily meditation might be the key. Kid-free time might be the best self-care for young parents. Find what works for you and be sure to practice it on a regular basis.
One of my top self-care tips is spending time in prayer. Each morning, I drink my coffee and read the Bible. Then I spend some time in prayer. It’s usually only a few minutes, but this daily practice helps me get centered and focused for the day.
Get Healthy Mentally
Another important tip for a healthier life is to take care of your mental health. Like sleep and self-care, a lot of us skip over this part. But staying healthy mentally is just as beneficial as healthy eating tips are!
Some of the self-care practices I mentioned above are also good to use for our mental health. But there are other good ones too. Spending time with friends and family can boost your mental health. If you need more help in this area, a counselor might be another good option.
There are also studies showing the mental health benefits of having a pet. Pets often reduce anxiety and depression in their owners. Plus, caring for a pet keeps you active and alert. So, having a pet might be a good way to take care of your mental health!
Get Healthy Where You Are
So, if you’ve made it this far, you are ready to get healthy! You’ve read most of my tips, and hopefully one or two will be a good fit for you. Here’s my last tip, and it’s probably the most important one. Stop comparing your healthy journey to others!
With social media, we are constantly getting posts and photos from people all over the world. And a lot of people like to share a selfie at the gym or after a run. These are awesome and can inspire us to start getting healthy.
But sometimes, the post of your smiling friend after they just finished their latest race can start some nasty comparisons in your head. Then comes the negative self-talk. I’ll never be able to do that, so why bother?
We’ve gotta get out of our heads and stop comparing ourselves to other people! Yes, you may never run a marathon or even a 5K. But that’s okay. You can start where you are, and do the best you can with what you have. And, you can Be happy for the person who just finished that race. But don’t compare yourself to them. Instead, use their achievements to inspire yourself to get healthy now!
Plan Ahead to Get Healthy
Now that you have some tips to get healthy, it’s time to form a plan. Having a plan will help you stay on track. You can use Erin Condren LifePlanner™” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener nofollow”>plan to help you get healthy and stay that way!
Do you have a good tip to get healthy? I’d love to hear it! Comment below or send me a message.
Blessings,
