Ready to jump in and get your feet wet? Here are fifty two easy tips that you can do on a daily basis that will offer you an entire new lifestyle with healthy habits through small changes that can make all the difference.
Changing daily habits can take time. That is why we offer you tips that you can add to your lifestyle gradually to help you gain awareness and maintain your health. As you read this list, take in slow and easy deep breaths. Start out by printing out this list and hanging it up where you can see it. Every week, try out a new step.
1. Take breaks when you eat. Put your fork down in between bites. Your stomach can take up to 20 minutes to tell your brain that you are full, so try to eat slowly.
2. Never go to the grocery store hungry.
3. Stay away from white flour and sugar for a week.
4. Put yourself first. You are at the top of your list. Find something that you want to do and that is healthy. Adopt that habit.
5. Be a role model for your children, pets, and family. Eat healthy and exercise daily. Children especially imitate what you do so they will adopt your new habits quite quickly.
6. Forget your scale. Muscles weigh much more than fat. Instead, hang a pair of your favorite skinny jeans close by so you can see them everyday. Try them on every day! See your progress. This is far more accurate than your scale and will make you feel a lot better as you keep going, as it shows fluid loss and gain.
7. Drink plenty of water! Drink more than eight glasses of water. It is great for your skin and makes you look younger.
8. Meet with a certified and experienced personal trainer and learn ways to add exercise into your life.
9. Do exercise that you enjoy. Exercise should make you feel better. Avoid exercises that you do not enjoy because you will not stick to them.
10. Workout in the morning. Keep your workout clothes right on the floor near your bed. Roll right out of bed and put on your clothes before you have time to think and get back into bed!
11. Train for a short race like a non-profit or cause and make it fun. Practice with a friend and make it a fun competition. Celebrate afterwards with a visit to the spa or dinner.
12. Every week do a family event with exercise such as hiking, biking, swimming, rock-climbing, or walking.
13. Eat dinner together. Your children will emulate your eating habits, so be a good example!
14. Throw away leftovers from your kids’ meals and do not eat them!
15. Eat a healthy breakfast. Eat more in the morning and afternoon, and less at night.
16. Try having smoothies, nuts, yogurts, granola bars, and fruit for snacks. Take snacks with you so you avoid unhealthy foods.
17. Keep cut fresh fruit and veggies ready in your refrigerator to eat every day.
18. Do not buy junk food and the less you are around it, the less likely you will be to eat unhealthy meals.
19. Go for a walk after dinner to digest your meal. Instead of sitting down and simply watching television after dinner, go for a nice walk. It can be short but move. You will feel so much more relaxed and sleep better.
20. Pay attention to what you eat. Keep a food diary for one month. You might be surprised what you will find out since most people eat more than they think they do.
21. Instead of a full meal, order an appetizer and a salad. Most meals in the United States offer larger portions that are at least 800 calories more than a home-cooked meal. You can enjoy more variety without packing on the pounds.
22. Lighten up your loads. Do not over pack your schedule that you are exhausted all the time and constantly needing caffeine or sugar just to get through the day. Instead, reach out to alternative methods such as yoga and meditation to help calm your mind and soothe your nerves, while building strength and flexibility.
23. Eliminate sugar from your diet. When you eliminate processed sugar, you will notice a dramatic improvement in your energy level.
24. Stretch every day. Stretching helps prevent injuries and warm up/cool down the body. 3-4 stretches will make a significant improvement.
25. Clear up your closet space! Donate all your clothes that are too large.
26. Think about how long you wait in line for coffee or for meals and make sure to match that time with a workout.
27. Buy healthy cookbooks and try out a new meal once a week. Enjoy cooking with your children and your spouse or partner. You all get to experiment and be healthy together.
28. Watch 30 minutes of television or less a day. As you watch less television, you will also see the pounds slip away.
29. Keep your alcohol intake to the weekends only. Alcohol takes a longer time to digest and has 7 k calories per gram, almost as much as fat.
30. Have a sparkling water beverage in between alcoholic drinks at restaurants or parties. You will lower your caloric intake while staying hydrated.
31. Keep a relaxation CD or tape in your car. Put it in when you feel stressed, anxious, or are sitting in traffic jams.
32. Say aloud one thing you are grateful for every day. What you think about expands. Appreciate what you have.
33. Make healthy soups or meals on Sunday and freeze them. Have them ready to help you through the week.
34. Take a picture of yourself with a bathing suit on and put it on the refrigerator. It will help you stay motivated if you can see it.
35. Find a picture that you like of yourself and keep it next to the bathing suit picture.
36. Agree with your partner to workout an hour a day. Couples that are fit, argue less than ones that are couch potatoes. You can also help each other stay motivated.
37. Enjoy a workout vacation like a yoga retreat, a surfing camp, horseback riding adventure, or a spa retreat. Take a break, enjoy your body, relax your body, and rejuvenate your spirit.
38. Make your own workout CD or MP3 collection for your iPod. Listen to your favorite music while you workout. Enjoy a good run with your iPod.
39. Make a goal with a significant reward at the end such as promising yourself something you really want (expensive jewelry, sound system, clothes) if you lose a certain amount of weight.
40. Compliment your friends as they achieve something positive. Being positive lifts you up and everyone around you.
41. Sleep more. Get enough sleep. You will notice a significant improvement in your energy level and your moods when you have enough rest.
42. Eliminate soda from your diet. Drink more water and add a lemon for variety. Drinking water prevents dehydration effects such as headaches, fatigue, and cramps.
43. Take 30 minutes a night to enjoy reading together. Unwind together with a good story.
44. When you feel that you cannot workout that day, be sure to get in at least 10 minutes. Everyone has 10 minutes to spare.
45. Eat high fiber food. It fills you up and is good for you. High fiber food includes fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. The body takes more time to digest these foods and these foods offer more nutrients and vitamins without the unhealthy fats and sugars of processed meals.
46. Do something you enjoy for at least 20 minutes a day, whatever it is. Whether you like to lay in the tub, read a magazine, garden, talk to your friends, draw, play music, write, or exercise, do something that you enjoy every day. Increase your enjoyment of life and your quality of life will increase dramatically.
47. Visualize what you want. Do you want a healthy body glowing with energy and vitality? Get into the mind space of feeling what that is like and how that will be for you every day and stay there. Try to prolong that feeling and act from that space every day.
48. Write down your goals and aspirations. Check in with them daily, weekly, and monthly. Start small. Take it easy. It will come.
49. Tell your loved ones your goals that you want to achieve. Write it, say it, email it, draw it, and sing it. Make it happen. Make it come alive.
50. Spend time with friends every day. At first, this may be difficult for you depending upon your location and your lifestyle. However, with modern technology, it has become quite easy to stay in touch. So you can email or call friends. Stay connected. When you can, see each other in person, whether it is once during the week or on the weekend. Connected people are happier and have more fulfilled lives.
51. Adopt a pet or a cause. Care about your environment and the animals and people in your town, country, and world. Put some of your money and effort towards things you care about, whether it is buying a small gift for a friend, drawing a card for a child, planting trees in Costa Rica, paying for food and clothing for a refugee, or writing your Congressional representative. Show that you care.
52. Think and see yourself at your best. Imagine your best self. Who would you be? How would you act? What would you say and do? Start to live from that space. Be that person you admire in your own way.
1. Take breaks when you eat. Put your fork down in between bites. Your stomach can take up to 20 minutes to tell your brain that you are full, so try to eat slowly.
2. Never go to the grocery store hungry.
3. Stay away from white flour and sugar for a week.
4. Put yourself first. You are at the top of your list. Find something that you want to do and that is healthy. Adopt that habit.
5. Be a role model for your children, pets, and family. Eat healthy and exercise daily. Children especially imitate what you do so they will adopt your new habits quite quickly.
6. Forget your scale. Muscles weigh much more than fat. Instead, hang a pair of your favorite skinny jeans close by so you can see them everyday. Try them on every day! See your progress. This is far more accurate than your scale and will make you feel a lot better as you keep going, as it shows fluid loss and gain.
7. Drink plenty of water! Drink more than eight glasses of water. It is great for your skin and makes you look younger.
8. Meet with a certified and experienced personal trainer and learn ways to add exercise into your life.
9. Do exercise that you enjoy. Exercise should make you feel better. Avoid exercises that you do not enjoy because you will not stick to them.
10. Workout in the morning. Keep your workout clothes right on the floor near your bed. Roll right out of bed and put on your clothes before you have time to think and get back into bed!
11. Train for a short race like a non-profit or cause and make it fun. Practice with a friend and make it a fun competition. Celebrate afterwards with a visit to the spa or dinner.
12. Every week do a family event with exercise such as hiking, biking, swimming, rock-climbing, or walking.
13. Eat dinner together. Your children will emulate your eating habits, so be a good example!
14. Throw away leftovers from your kids’ meals and do not eat them!
15. Eat a healthy breakfast. Eat more in the morning and afternoon, and less at night.
16. Try having smoothies, nuts, yogurts, granola bars, and fruit for snacks. Take snacks with you so you avoid unhealthy foods.
17. Keep cut fresh fruit and veggies ready in your refrigerator to eat every day.
18. Do not buy junk food and the less you are around it, the less likely you will be to eat unhealthy meals.
19. Go for a walk after dinner to digest your meal. Instead of sitting down and simply watching television after dinner, go for a nice walk. It can be short but move. You will feel so much more relaxed and sleep better.
20. Pay attention to what you eat. Keep a food diary for one month. You might be surprised what you will find out since most people eat more than they think they do.
21. Instead of a full meal, order an appetizer and a salad. Most meals in the United States offer larger portions that are at least 800 calories more than a home-cooked meal. You can enjoy more variety without packing on the pounds.
22. Lighten up your loads. Do not over pack your schedule that you are exhausted all the time and constantly needing caffeine or sugar just to get through the day. Instead, reach out to alternative methods such as yoga and meditation to help calm your mind and soothe your nerves, while building strength and flexibility.
23. Eliminate sugar from your diet. When you eliminate processed sugar, you will notice a dramatic improvement in your energy level.
24. Stretch every day. Stretching helps prevent injuries and warm up/cool down the body. 3-4 stretches will make a significant improvement.
25. Clear up your closet space! Donate all your clothes that are too large.
26. Think about how long you wait in line for coffee or for meals and make sure to match that time with a workout.
27. Buy healthy cookbooks and try out a new meal once a week. Enjoy cooking with your children and your spouse or partner. You all get to experiment and be healthy together.
28. Watch 30 minutes of television or less a day. As you watch less television, you will also see the pounds slip away.
29. Keep your alcohol intake to the weekends only. Alcohol takes a longer time to digest and has 7 k calories per gram, almost as much as fat.
30. Have a sparkling water beverage in between alcoholic drinks at restaurants or parties. You will lower your caloric intake while staying hydrated.
31. Keep a relaxation CD or tape in your car. Put it in when you feel stressed, anxious, or are sitting in traffic jams.
32. Say aloud one thing you are grateful for every day. What you think about expands. Appreciate what you have.
33. Make healthy soups or meals on Sunday and freeze them. Have them ready to help you through the week.
34. Take a picture of yourself with a bathing suit on and put it on the refrigerator. It will help you stay motivated if you can see it.
35. Find a picture that you like of yourself and keep it next to the bathing suit picture.
36. Agree with your partner to workout an hour a day. Couples that are fit, argue less than ones that are couch potatoes. You can also help each other stay motivated.
37. Enjoy a workout vacation like a yoga retreat, a surfing camp, horseback riding adventure, or a spa retreat. Take a break, enjoy your body, relax your body, and rejuvenate your spirit.
38. Make your own workout CD or MP3 collection for your iPod. Listen to your favorite music while you workout. Enjoy a good run with your iPod.
39. Make a goal with a significant reward at the end such as promising yourself something you really want (expensive jewelry, sound system, clothes) if you lose a certain amount of weight.
40. Compliment your friends as they achieve something positive. Being positive lifts you up and everyone around you.
41. Sleep more. Get enough sleep. You will notice a significant improvement in your energy level and your moods when you have enough rest.
42. Eliminate soda from your diet. Drink more water and add a lemon for variety. Drinking water prevents dehydration effects such as headaches, fatigue, and cramps.
43. Take 30 minutes a night to enjoy reading together. Unwind together with a good story.
44. When you feel that you cannot workout that day, be sure to get in at least 10 minutes. Everyone has 10 minutes to spare.
45. Eat high fiber food. It fills you up and is good for you. High fiber food includes fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. The body takes more time to digest these foods and these foods offer more nutrients and vitamins without the unhealthy fats and sugars of processed meals.
46. Do something you enjoy for at least 20 minutes a day, whatever it is. Whether you like to lay in the tub, read a magazine, garden, talk to your friends, draw, play music, write, or exercise, do something that you enjoy every day. Increase your enjoyment of life and your quality of life will increase dramatically.
47. Visualize what you want. Do you want a healthy body glowing with energy and vitality? Get into the mind space of feeling what that is like and how that will be for you every day and stay there. Try to prolong that feeling and act from that space every day.
48. Write down your goals and aspirations. Check in with them daily, weekly, and monthly. Start small. Take it easy. It will come.
49. Tell your loved ones your goals that you want to achieve. Write it, say it, email it, draw it, and sing it. Make it happen. Make it come alive.
50. Spend time with friends every day. At first, this may be difficult for you depending upon your location and your lifestyle. However, with modern technology, it has become quite easy to stay in touch. So you can email or call friends. Stay connected. When you can, see each other in person, whether it is once during the week or on the weekend. Connected people are happier and have more fulfilled lives.
51. Adopt a pet or a cause. Care about your environment and the animals and people in your town, country, and world. Put some of your money and effort towards things you care about, whether it is buying a small gift for a friend, drawing a card for a child, planting trees in Costa Rica, paying for food and clothing for a refugee, or writing your Congressional representative. Show that you care.
52. Think and see yourself at your best. Imagine your best self. Who would you be? How would you act? What would you say and do? Start to live from that space. Be that person you admire in your own way.