Five Healthy Habits You Can Start Right Now! (They’re free and easy.)

Maybe you’re in a slump of sorts as the cold weather finally makes its way out the door…and you want to start feeling better NOW! I wanted to share a few things that you can do this very minute to make strides toward being more energetic and healthier. Sitting at work? On a break at school? At home on reading this on your phone? It doesn’t matter, you can do these things starting now!

1. Get a drink of water. I think everyone knows that water is vital to survival. But many of us don’t drink near enough of it! Why not? For the most part, it’s free. (I never buy bottled water for several reasons…we have a filter from the fridge.) Take a step right this minute and get you a drink of H2O! Staying hydrated makes you feel better for so many reasons. Drink more water for clearer skin and watch it help flush your system of the yucky things; think constipation. Just make it a habit to drink more water and you for sure won’t be sorry.

2. Get moving! I’ve found that if I’m feeling particularly un-energized…it only makes it worse if I sit down or lay down. Sometimes you need extra rest, of course. But I’m talking about just your normal day to day stuff. If you start lagging, get up and move! It’s amazing how that increase in your heart rate for just a minute or two can pep you up! It’s a mindset thing for me. I just have to make myself do it sometimes! I’m not talking about a 30 minute hard workout—but just a few minutes of dancing around, jumping jacks, squats, or just walking briskly! If you’re reading this at a desk or at work…stand up and move! It’ll get the blood flowing and make you feel alive! (But if you feel up to that workout, go for it, too!) Moving has sadly become less than natural in our society because we are stuck at a desk or in a car or at school. But take the time to do what we were designed to do in moving! Turn on some fun songs and dance around. You’d be so surprised that being silly and swinging your kids around can really get your blood pumping! (I have a mini-trampoline, a rebounder, that I’ll sometimes leave in my living room. Every time I walk past it, I’ll jump for a minute. It really is a good energizer!)

3. Make your next meal or snack a good one. So, you’ve had a Hardee’s biscuit for breakfast. Don’t let that ruin the rest of the day. Your very next meal or snack can redeem you. One amazing concept that has saved me many a time is the idea of “giving yourself grace” and knowing that if you mess up, three hours later eat something healthier. (Thank you, Trim Healthy Mama mindset!) The mess up is not the end of you. So right now, tell yourself that you are going to make healthy choices. Instead of eating a Pop-tart for your 3:00 pick-me-up, go for the apple and cheese stick instead! Grab a bag of almonds or cashews, buy the 000 Greek yogurts and feel good about your snack choices! Then when mealtimes come, choose wisely as well. Choose the grilled chicken with veggies! You’ve just kick started a healthier life. Go from there and be confident that you can make better choices every time you eat!

4. Think positively! Easier said than done to you? Sometimes I know it’s hard to get your mind in the right place. But when we make ourselves think happy, uplifting thoughts, we feel so much better. If you’re a Believer, there’s so many things we can remember to make our hearts and minds joyful. Just the thought of Jesus saving us should fill us with happiness. God’s blessed us so abundantly and having a heart of thankfulness is a health booster! How do you feel when you’re feeling sorry for yourself? Do you get anxious, worried, and pitiful? I do! You are capable of turning your thought process around. Only you can decide to be positive. In a world that eats us alive…choose to be different and think less of your problems and more about your blessings. (Listen to an encouraging podcast. Here are my favorites.)

5. Make yourself smile. I heard a new song on our Christian radio station the other day about “just smile”. Hearing the song playing made me automatically smile. Sometimes, even if we force ourselves to smile, a good mood will follow! You think I’m crazy? Try it now! Look at yourself in the mirror, or the reflection of your phone and let out a big toothy grin. It lifts our mood! Such a simple act that takes hardly any effort can possibly turn our day around! I personally have a very somber “resting face” and I want to try and change that! I hate for strangers (or even people I know) to think I’m mad or unhappy! I gotta learn to smile! Because I have so much to smile about.

So there you have it. Five things you can do right now to make yourself healthier. These tips don’t cost any money, they take minimal effort…so try them out NOW! 😊

Interested in teaming up with me to see your health goals met? Take a look at my THM coaching page! I’d be so honored to help you one-on-one make positive changes for your health this year!