Creating a Healthier You
Today I want to give a shout out to another sponsor of our June Better Healthy Living Challenge. Tracy of Mom’s in a Blog donated her Creating a Healthier You product. It was a membership that has since been turned into a solo product for a one time $25. Nice!
We know that making simple lifestyle changes will help us on our journey to eat better and lose weight. Eating better plus moving more=a healthier you!
Your health and well-being should be a priority in your life, shouldn’t it be? It only makes sense. Yet so many of us place our own health on the back burner, leaving it unattended until it boils over. And this causes nothing but an unhealthy mess.
So, there our health sits on the back burner, boiling away, ignored. It seems our health is often something that’s largely taken for granted. We feel invincible… right up until our health fails us.
We all know that this is clearly the wrong attitude. But, how do we give ourselves a “healthy attitude adjustment?” How about a little reality check. With some basic healthy choices, you’ll not only feel better, but your body will thank you by adding years to your life. Now, that’s a wake-up-call we simply can’t ignore!
Improve your Health for the Right Reasons
The fact is, many of us are unhappy with our weight. As a result, we are trying to slim down. That’s all well and good, but the problem is we are trying to lose weight for the wrong reasons. We want to fit into last year’s (or last decade’s) clothes. We want our figure to be slender and attractive to someone, or anyone.
But getting healthy can’t be about losing weight. And it certainly can’t be about looking good for someone. Losing weight goes far beyond the superficial. Losing weight is about fitness, health, and your well-being. The number on the scale is only one indicator of your overall health and wellness. And if that’s your focus, you will soon lose sight of your goal – your health.
When you try to improve yourself to please or attract other people, you can lose sight of your motivation. The motivation needs to be within you… not with someone else. The deeper your commitment to your health, the more likely you will be to make healthier choices. Outside influences can get complicated, and mess up your resolve to get healthy. An internal commitment has staying power, no matter what life throws your way.
It’s also important to realize that you must love yourself first before anyone else will. People are drawn to others who have self-confidence and self-respect. When you care about your well-being, not only will you take better care of yourself, but others will be more likely to do the same. Treat yourself at least as well as you would treat a friend!
Here are some ways you can put yourself first and take better care of your health:
1. See your doctor. If you haven’t been to see a doctor in a while, or are in need of an annual checkup, start by making an appointment to get your health evaluated. This will give you a good foundation for what lifestyle changes need to be made. Your doctor may suggest a series of wellness tests. Do what you can to get all the information that you and your doctor can use to make a plan for your health.
2. Get up and move. Many of us find a structured exercise schedule a bit daunting. Fitting an hour walk or a trip to the gym into your day may simply be out of the question. Instead, a short walk around the block and a few minutes playing fetch with the dog may just fit your schedule perfectly. A little dance around the kitchen while you wait for a pot of water to boil works, too. The idea is to put on your comfortable shoes and move, no matter what you choose to do.
3. Choose healthier food and drink. Rid your pantry and refrigerator of all those foods you know are bad for you. You know what they are and you know you have them! Replace those processed foods with real foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts. Start the day with a healthy breakfast and don’t skip meals. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, as well.
• When you eat poorly, you’re doing a huge disservice to your body. You are what you eat, after all. If you eat unhealthy foods, you’ll likely end up unhealthy with chronic health issues like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, just to name a few.
4. Relax! It’s imperative to take care of your mental health, also, by incorporating relaxation techniques into your lifestyle. Regular relaxation helps reduce stress and anxiety and recharges you so you can bring more energy and passion to all areas of your life. And when you have energy and passion, you have more to give yourself, your family, and your friends.
• Consider taking up a form of meditation that you can do easily at home. Also, enjoy a hobby or two that takes your mind away to a restful place. Do those things that bring you contentment and happiness.
Make your health a priority. Don’t leave it on the back burner! You deserve a healthier YOU!
P.S. Are you tired of putting your health last on your To Do list? At the end of the day, do you wonder what happened to your plans to diet and exercise? Are you just plain fed up with the very words “diet” and “exercise?” It’s time to eat healthier and get up and move. It’s time to become A Healthier You!
P.S.S. The winner of the Power Workout DVD giveaway is Faith! She was chosen by random.org. Thanks to everyone for entering. Get ready for the Olympics!
Great post and tips. I completely agree – it has to start with making health a priority and it has to be about more than just losing weight. Without that, it’s so easy to let things slide and to put it off. Thanks for sharing!