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Get healthy? What does that mean? How does a beginner even… go there?
I get it! Starting off on your health journey can be really hard when you don’t know where to start.
My article, Balance8life In Motion is a great example of how to incorporate all 8 methods of health into a single day without feeling overwhelmed.
But let’s just get started here with a few tips for beginners, because, if you’ve never in your life done anything particularly “healthy”, getting started is overwhelming!
ONE – YOUR MIND
Get into a healthy mindset. What does a healthy person think? Well, since everybody is different, I don’t know what everybody else thinks! But, I think self improvement, and self improvement means: learn, study, be open to change, set goals, ask questions, etc.
Ask yourself, “Is this a healthy choice?”
Even if you don’t know the answer, start by asking the question, then begin the learning process. You don’t have to go far, browse my blog for lots of great stuff for healthy thoughts, healthy food, exercise, how to get good sleep, how to set goals, etc.!
Meditation isn’t something everybody is comfortable with. If you are comfortable with the idea, take some time to search “meditation for beginners” on Pinterest or Google, and begin to train your mind to be calm.
TWO – YOUR DRINK
Replace sodas and all other drinks with water, and try to get 8 cups of water (or 4, 16oz water bottles) in per day.
THREE – YOUR PLATE
Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies with your meals, not between. Try to begin the process of not eating anything between your meal times.
FOUR – YOUR MOVE
Get active. Depending on what you’re used to doing, this can mean anything from cleaning your house to bumping up your activity level to a 5K.
If you’re used to doing absolutely nothing, start by walking (walk quickly, as if you’re in a hurry to get somewhere) and just be active in general.
Clean your house – mopping and vacuuming actually gets your heart rate up. Walk the neighborhood. Swim. Get creative, do whatever it is that you can think of, that you might enjoy, that keeps you off the couch or out of bed.
Be active for 30 minutes total in your day. If you need to break this up into 10 or 15 minute intervals throughout your day, that is a fine place to start. But make sure you time it.
Whatever it is you’re doing, when you start feeling your breathing become slightly difficult, and you can’t talk unless you stop, that is where you need to be for as long as you can, while you’re doing your 10-15 minute intervals.
While your heart rate is high like this, never sit down. Just slow your walking pace until you can breath normal again before you sit. (This is called a “cool down”).
FIVE – YOUR SLEEP
In order to have a clear mind and a good attitude, and the energy it takes to make successful change, your body needs 6-10 hours of sleep. 6 if you’re older, 10-12 if you’re under 20 years old.
SIX – YOUR AIR
Fresh air helps with sleep, cleans your lungs, clears your head and makes things smell good. Air out your home and car. Let in all that fresh air. It’s good for you.
Better yet, get out in it! Meditate, exercise, eat, or just sit on your phone outside if social media is your thing and you’ve got a break at work, take a “social media break” outside.
SEVEN – YOUR SHINE
Sunshine is good for you. No sunscreen here! 10 minutes is all you need in an entire day to get your vitamin D. And you need vitamin D so that your bones can absorb calcium.
EIGHT – YOUR INDULGENCES AND ADDICTIONS
We all need a break, even from the things we love. And we all like things that aren’t exactly good for us.
Moderation is where it’s at. Moderation is great friends with meditation. It is good training for self-control.
Start practicing self control by limiting yourself to treats (whether that is a food, a drink, a TV show, an activity, etc.) to only certain times in the day or week. Start spacing the time out between your indulgences to once a week or month and then every other month, (depending, of course, on what it is you’re doing), until you have a good handle on your self-control.
The cool thing with self control is, the more you practice it, the stronger it becomes.
This way, you begin the process of moderation by only allowing yourself to engage in things that aren’t exactly good for you, every once in awhile. This is good training for your future fitness and health goals once you’re ready to take it to the next level.
This is also a great way to begin the process of eliminating the things that are really bad for you! Some things just have to go, if you truly want to be healthy.
But don’t worry – we’re not focusing on that right now.
IN CONCLUSION
It is always best to start small. Baby steps is the only way to begin. Read my article Six Steps to Setting Goals that Last once you’ve gotten a few days or weeks into what we just talked about! This will help you take things to the next level!
If you have any questions, I’m here! And if I don’t have the answer, I’ll either find the answer or someone else that can give you an answer. So please don’t hesitate to ask! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.