Have you decided that it’s time to take control of your health and fitness? You don’t have to wait until the new year to set yourself some resolutions, give up bad habits and get into some better habits. Now is the best time to start, as you’ll get in two months’ worth of progress before the new year and can also miss the new year rush on things like gym memberships, health supplements, equipment and more. Of course, this is a venture that’s going to take some commitment and it’s good to have some information under your belt to get the ball rolling in the right direction. Here are just a few different areas you can focus on when it comes to improving your overall well-being!
Ease Into Things
Sure, it’s exciting planning out a new way of living that will benefit you and leave you feeling better than you used to, but it’s important that you ease into this venture. All too many people make the mistake of diving into things full-on and head first. This can often prove overwhelming and result in burnout, create sentiments of dislike around the new routine or result in other issues that mean the routine is dropped just as quickly as it was picked up. It’s much more beneficial for you and your body to make small changes that are well implemented and maintained over time than to have a sudden rush of healthy eating and intense exercise that fizzles out in the space of a week or two.
Wave Goodbye to Bad Habits
Sometimes, the biggest and best change you can make is to cut the bad habits out of your life. This is a better first step to take than simply continuing your bad habits while eating a bit more fruit and veg or hitting the gym every now and then alongside them. Most of us have some sort of bad habit, but some are definitely worse than others. If you smoke, this is something you should consider kicking to the curb immediately. Nowadays, there are plenty of aids that can support you through this journey, ranging from nicotine replacement products – that provide you with nicotine minus the other negative ingredients included in cigarettes – to vapes that replace the feeling of smoking.
Get Your Sleep and Relax
When people think of improving their health, they tend to think of a lot of activity. But rest is just as important a part of the process. You need to make sure that you get sufficient rest for your body and mind to recover from the stresses they go through on a day-to-day basis or as part of your routine. Make sure that you’re getting your eight hours of sleep a night. Create a tranquil and relaxing sleep environment and take measures such as putting phones and other devices away well in advance of bedtime to minimize your exposure to blue light. You should make sure that you have minimal distractions and really settle down. You should also make sure that you schedule downtime for taking some time to yourself in your calendar. You could watch a favorite show, run a bath, take a walk outdoors any other low pressure activity during this time. You might want to ease yourself into a more relaxed state with chamomile tea, lavender scents or even something like Delta 9 THC gummies.
Start Eating Well
We all know that we should eat well. This goes without saying, as it’s something that has been drilled into us from a young age. But all too many people go around implementing healthy eating in the wrong way. Sadly, nowadays, there are all sorts of fad diets and trends going around that tell you they can help you to be healthy and in shape with minimal effort. These diets tend to be bad for you, rather than good for you. Avoid fad diets at all costs. Instead, focus on eating a healthy and balanced diet within your recommended calorie count. This differs from one adult to another depending on factors such as age, sex and activity levels. If you’re unsure of the calories you should consume, make sure to consult your doctor who can provide you with tailored advice. Then, make sure your meals are balanced. You shouldn’t cut out any particular food group entirely. Instead, the key to a healthy diet is moderation. If you find yourself leaning towards fast food, junk food or other unhealthy types of food, you should consider meal planning and meal prepping. This ensures that you know what to make and have the ingredients all stocked up and ready.
Find Exercise You Enjoy
We all also know that we should incorporate exercise into our schedule to stay fit. The issue? Most of us feel we don’t enjoy exercise so avoid it at all costs. While some of us are more inclined to enjoying exercise than others, chances are, there is some sort of exercise out there that you’d actively look forward to. Some people like the environment, atmosphere and convenience of the gym. Some of us like to spend time outdoors, hiking, cycling, jogging or simply walking. Some people like sociability involved. For those, fitness classes and sports teams could be a good option. Some people like to pick up an alternative skill. If this sounds like you, you could find that you enjoy something like pole fitness, roller skating, dance or aerial fitness. Some people like relaxed exercise, where yoga and Pilates could come into play. If you like being in the water, swimming or water aerobics might better tick your boxes. Experiment and try a variety of activities out until you find what works for you!
Practice Mindfulness and Meditation
Physical health and wellbeing is important, but have you considered your mental health in this process? You should definitely incorporate your mental health and wellbeing into your routine and take some time to focus on it and care for it. Of course, if you are concerned about your mental health or feel you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition, you should immediately reach out to a medical professional who can help you further, guiding you on a journey of medicine or therapy. However, if you feel good in yourself but are just looking for ways to take care of your mind, you may want to try mindfulness or meditation. These are two similar practices that allow you to take some time to sit in a quiet and concentrated environment where you can focus on accepting things as they are and letting them pass. If you’re unsure how to get started, don’t worry. There are plenty of free online resources that you can make use of. From guided meditations through audio and apps to video tutorials.
There are so many different areas you can focus on when it comes to improving your health and wellbeing through a good health and fitness regime. Different options will work for different people. Chances are, you already implement some of the steps above into your routine while others are neglected or you haven’t even ever considered. Hopefully, some of the information outlined above should help you along this journey, giving you some good starting points to work from that will benefit you, your body and your mind in the long run.
