Weigh in and set yourself a short-term goal for weight loss. Check your BMI. Measure your height and weight to check your BMI, and measure your waist circumference to see if you are overweight and if your waistline is putting your health at risk.

Assess your activity. How much physical activity do you get in a typical week? How intense is that activity? How much variety do you get in your exercise, and how much do you enjoy it? The CDC recommends that adults get at least two and a half hours per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or one hour and 15 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise, plus muscle-strengthening exercise at least two days per week.

Move more.  If you don’t like to exercise, then make a determined effort to make it fun. Go on a hike or walk with friends, try a belly dancing class, or find something else you can enjoy. The most important thing is that you keep moving. Then track your movement — put a big “X” on your calendar when you exercise, or track it on an app like MyFitnessPal, Map My Walk, etc. That’s a great motivator.

Set a weekly goal for exercise. If you haven’t previously been exercising, in order to build your confidence, set yourself an easy goal so that at the end of the week, you can say “I can do this.” It is better to set a weekly rather than a daily goal. For example, your goal would be to exercise three times the first week. You won’t be discouraged if you don’t exercise one specific day when you have seven to choose from. At the end of the week, reward yourself with a visual reminder of your accomplishment. If you were to buy flowers, you would be able to look at them throughout the next week as a visual reminder that you accomplished that goal.

Add Work activity into your day.  WedMD says, “Ten percent of something is better than 100% of nothing. So even if you only have 10 minutes, it’s better than zero minutes.” You can take a 10-minute walk before lunch or walk up and down the stairs when you’re feeling drained and tired.

Check your mood and energy. Healthy living includes emotional wellness and adequate rest. How has your mood been lately? Are you experiencing any symptoms of depression or anxiety? Do you usually sleep well for seven to eight hours a night?

Hydration. How is your water intake? Are you drinking enough? Have you cut down on the drinks that cause you to retain water? Think about starting your day with lemon water for a great cleansing effect and then keep up the water intake throughout the day. Don’t like plain water? Tried some infused water.

Health Issues. If you know that you have chronic health problems, whether it is heart disease, diabetes, depression, arthritis, or other conditions, treatment is an obvious priority for healthy living. The same goes for behaviors, such as smoking, and addictions of any kind. They put you at greater risk.

Keep a food diary. Write down everything you eat for a day — and don’t skip anything, even if you are embarrassed about those items. You should write everything down … without judgment, otherwise how can you change what you are not aware of?

Food Choices. Think about your food choices and be aware of what you are eating. Instead of thinking to yourself that you should  be eating more vegetables and fruits, have a different mindset and instead say, “I choose to eat more fruits and vegetables.” This type of language and mindset is very powerful, and helps you to see that you are in control and you are making the choices.

Choose to plan. Those of you who’ve have been part of my community while know this is a big one for me. I pre-plan and prepare my week-day meals on the weekend. This helps me to stick to my healthy eating so much more easily. Stock your pantry with healthy foods and take healthy snacks with you so you’re prepared when you get hungry. When you’re really hungry, your physiology kicks in, and that’s when you start craving the hamburgers and French fries instead of the salads.

Slow down and savor your food. Don’t watch TV, work, or drive while you’re eating, but instead, focus on the meal you are eating. Just sit down and enjoy your meal with no distractions. This will help you to psychologically feel much more satisfied. Also, don’t forget to chew slowly. This is much more healthy for your digestive tract, and will leave you feeling much better after eating.

Remember the colors of the rainbow.  Aim for five to nine daily servings of varied fruits and vegetables. Cover the rainbow of fruit and vegetable colors to get a good mix of nutrients. “If you’re not getting the rainbow, you’re probably not getting all the nutrients that you need,” says WebMD.

These are some of the aspects of healthy living. Your health and wellness is not just made up of food and exercise, but also relationships, spirituality, balance, stress relief, creativity, finances and career. 

Do you want to lose weight, be energized, feel great and have a great outlook on life?  I’d love to help. 

Contact me to schedule your FREE ‘Healthy You’ Breakthrough Session. By the end of our call, you’ll have a customized Action Plan along with some helpful resources to get you started on a path to a healthier lifestyle.

Just email lwadsworth@verizon.net.