If the thought of creating health and wellness goals for the rest of the year feels daunting, I completely understand where you are coming from! So many sources tell us what we should be focused on — losing weight, reducing sugar intake, cutting down on alcohol, tracking calories, being mindful, taking supplements, trying the latest workout craze, and so on.
Who has time for it all? I certainly don’t, and I bet you don’t either!
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With seemingly infinite amounts of information at our fingertips, and the constant urge to compare ourselves with the images we see on social media, it is no wonder that people feel like they aren’t measuring up health-wise.
If you can relate to this, I’ve got some wonderful news for you: You haven’t fallen behind! You don’t have to keep up with the latest wellness trends. Your health doesn’t depend on you going to the newest/hottest fitness class in town. And you certainly don’t have to spend countless hours on meal planning, meditation, and self-care to feel your best!
Instead, the daily choices you make can have a powerful impact on the way that you look and feel. By taking tiny — yet consistent — steps to care for your own Triangle of Health (i.e. how you eat, move, and recharge), you set yourself up for long-term success.
To get you started, I’ve listed five baby steps that you can take to feel balanced in every area of your health and wellbeing.
1. Make one healthy food/beverage swap
Indulged in a few too many treats this holiday season? Eating well at the start of the year can be extra challenging when you’ve gotten used to a steady diet of the cookies, candies, and side dishes we all love so much.
To “make up” for the seasonal imbalance in food choices, many individuals jump into a new diet plan right away. They break away from the holiday treats cold turkey, and begin eating boring and restrictive diets.
Plain and simple, this isn’t an effective strategy!
You’ll benefit far more from making small, yet consistent changes to improve your dietary choices. Take your first baby step into healthy eating by making one nutritious food or beverage swap today. For example, if you normally drink a soda in the afternoon, enjoy a glass of water or tea instead. If you normally have a few cookies with your sandwich at lunch, try having just one. Eventually, your small choices will add up to a full day of healthy eating.
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2. Take a break to move your body
If you work at your computer all day long, it can be difficult to remember to get up and move your body! Since movement plays such a major role in the proper functioning of your entire body, it is worthwhile to set reminders for yourself.
At some point today, set a reminder for yourself to take a break and move your body. It doesn’t matter WHAT you do — just that you do it! You can choose to take a few minutes to walk around the block, stretch, do jumping jacks, yoga, play a fitness video game, or run in place. By creating a habit of getting up and moving, you are taking the first step in working toward your long-term fitness goals.
3. Go to bed 20 minutes earlier
Although it doesn’t seem like much time, 20 minutes of extra sleep at night can do wonders for your health!
Sleep experts back the notion that 20 additional minutes of sleep can make you feel more awake during the day, enhance your productivity, and boost your mood. This is an excellent baby step to take if you normally don’t get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
If you prefer, you can instead use this extra 20 minutes to take a power nap during your day. For those working remotely, this can be a fantastic way to recharge and finish the day with energy.
Not sure where to find an extra 20 minutes to dedicate to sleep? Consider trading some of the time you spend on your smartphone — whether playing games or browsing social media — for bonus, restorative sleep.
4. Breathe deeply for five minutes
It should come as no surprise that chronic stress is a problem for many. The events of the last year coupled with day-to-day demands are enough to worsen symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
Stress isn’t just an issue contained to the mind. It is also notoriously harmful for our physical health. Feeling stressed out on a regular basis can lead to headaches, digestive trouble, muscle tension, acid reflux, and so much more.
No matter your current stress level, take a moment to pause and breathe deeply. Breathing exercises — which can take as little as one minute — have been proven to stop stress in its tracks.
Begin by getting into a comfortable position, and breathing in through your nose for five seconds, and out of your nose for five seconds. Repeat this several times until you physically and mentally feel a difference.
5. Drink an extra glass of water
In an ideal world, we would all drink plenty of water each day. But since we don’t live in a perfect world, our habits aren’t perfect either!
Whether you try to stay hydrated as best as you can, or you skip water altogether, take the baby step of drinking one extra glass of water today. Keeping your body hydrated is crucial for your cardiovascular health, your muscles and joints, your sleep quality, and even your mood!
Will trying each one of these baby steps make you feel like a brand new person overnight? It would be unrealistic to think that it would. But what they will do is put you in a better place health-wise than when you started your day. You’ll likely even feel a bit more refreshed, relaxed, and healthier overall.
Working toward a healthier mind and body doesn’t require dramatic change. On the contrary, when you take baby steps like these — and continue to build on them each day — you’ll make a lasting impact on your health for the long-term.
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DAWN MCGEE
Dawn McGee is a certified and licensed Nutrition Evangelist and a long-time foodie, she focuses on both the health and joy of food as fuel for your body. She is a driving force in bringing education on healthy eating to more people through her community, my “Reclaim Your Life, One Bite at a Time” programs, and my book “365 Days of Healthy Living”. Her hope for you is that you live a life you love, without being hungry, feeling deprived, or giving up your glass
