6 Steps to a Healthier You

We’ve all been there!  We know that we should eat better, exercise, manage our stress, sleep better, etc,etc.  Sometimes we even give it our best efforts only to fall back into the same old habits and routines.  As your Personal Health Coach, I’ll guide you through a step by step proven system to help you make life changing healthy choices for your inevitable success!

Here are some quick tips to get you started:

1. Make the effort to plan out your meals &/or snacks.

Our lives are busy and if you neglect to eat at scheduled times, you tend to skip the meal(s) and binge eat at the next meal.  Usually you end up eating late in the evening and eat way too much because by that time in the day, your starved!  Your belly is overstuffed and now your going to bed soon.  Not a good combination!  Instead, planning for meals and snacks during the morning and daytime can have profound effects on your energy, mood, and even weight loss!

Tips for Meal Planning:

• Know your schedule ahead of time
• How many meals will you need to prepare
• Get to the grocery store to purchase everything you’ll need for the week
• Prepare a head of time parts of meals so when you get home it’s just a matter of putting it in the oven or on the grill
• Choose quick/easy to prepare recipes/meals
• Leftovers can make easy take-a-long meals for the next day
• Energy packed, protein powered & nutrient dense snacks can easily fuel you between meals

Need some inspiration? Check out some of my favorite recipes here.

2. Incorporate activities/exercise into your weekly routine.

Notice I didn’t say daily here!  Spending 3-5 times a week doing some type of exercise or activity can make such a profound positive effect in the way you feel and experience life.  This doesn’t mean that you have to “get to the gym”.  If you enjoy working out at the local gym then great!  If you just aren’t comfortable at the gym, then find some other activity that you may enjoy. 

Here’s a key point:  If it’s pleasurable to us, we will want to keep doing it!  Pleasurable events trigger the release of certain “feel good” chemicals in our brain. Even 10 Minutes of activity a day can impact your health, and once you see how easy 10 minutes is then you’ll be encouraged to add another 10 minutes!

For a list of fun exercises, check out my Movement Menu here.

3. Keep well hydrated.

Our bodies are made up of 50-65% water, so it makes sense that as our bodies utilize water and also excrete water through sweat, urine and other means, it is imperative to replace this volume.  Keeping the cells of your body well hydrated helps your digestive system, your skin, and your kidneys, just to name a few of the many benefits.  The key here is to find what’s going to taste good and will work for you.  I know some of you may not like to drink water, so here are some great alternatives to try.

Alternatives & Creative Ways to Stay Hydrated:

• Fresh squeezed lemonade
• Add fresh slices of fruits/veggies/herbs to your water (strawberries, lemon slice and mint leaves)
• Gatorade or similar brand of electrolyte replacement drink but watch the sugar content on these
• Iced tea with peach or orange slices in it
• If you are addicted to soda pop, try carbonated naturally flavored water.  ( You can now purchase a device that adds carbonation to your water.)

4. Manage your stress.

I know this seems easier said than done sometimes, however, if you let the stress build up, it can have devastating effects on your health!   It has been proven scientifically to age you faster, affects your mental and emotional well being, overstimulates and depletes your immune system, changes your desire and performance for sex, causes digestive problems, leads to heart disease, muscular tension and pain, sleep disturbances, and the list goes on!  Bottom line, finding ways to channel the stress will help to improve your health.

Ways to Relieve Stress:

For more information about managing stress, check out my article “How to Beat the Blues” here.

5. Get plenty of Sleep

We all lead busy lives and now a days it seems as though media and advertisements promote how we need to be doing this or that.  Slow down!  Burning both ends of the candle will quickly deplete any reserves you have for survival.  When we sleep, it’s time for our bodies to replenish and rejuvenate.   The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. 

It’s important to get a bedtime routine and stick to it.  Plan to go to bed around the same time every night.  A clean, neat bed with comfortable sheets/blankets and pillows can aide sleep.  Make sure you’re wearing something comfortable to sleep in as well.  A cooler environment has been proven to help your sleep patterns.  Having a room with natural/relaxing colors on the walls and bed linens can have a calming affect on the body, which prepares you for sleep.  Other ways to relax may include soft, quiet music set to a timer or an essential oil diffuser.

For more information on sleep, read my article “Sleep Like a Baby” here.

6. Nurture your spiritual health.

Our lives are filled with moments were we are on top of the mountain and everything is grand and moments were we can be in the deepest valley wondering how did I get here and how am I going to get out?  Faith!

According to the Bible, Hebrews 11:1, “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.” (Good News Translation)

The definition of Faith according to the English Oxford Living dictionary :

(1) Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

(2) Strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

Finding that connection to God just takes one step and one prayer at a time.  Our entire lives are a journey where God continues to polish and refine us according to His purposes and plans.

Ways to Connect with God and Have a Personal Relationship:

• Prayer
• Reading the Bible
• Attending church
• Join a Bible study group
• Singing
• Find a Christian mentor to guide you
• Have either a daily devotional book or a daily email devotional
• Journaling your thoughts, fears, and even praises to God
• Have an awareness of the blessings in your life

I guarantee that the more you seek God the more you’ll find Him and the more gratitude you will have and JOY you will experience!