Transitioning into a healthy lifestyle can seem overwhelming. For many, it feels like a world full of unfamiliar routines and unattainable habits.
To break down that barrier, here are five simple steps you can take to make your own transition, starting today:
1) Start your day with a cup of warm lemon water.
Most people aren’t drinking enough water, so it’s great to start your day with hydration. This simple habit is one of the kindest routines you can implement for your digestive system. The lemon water helps your body to gently detoxify at the start of each day by supporting your liver and relaxing your bowels to promote waste removal.
How to include this: First thing upon waking, fill your favorite glass with 8 ounces of warm water and squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon. You don’t want boiling hot water, as this will negatively impact the lemon’s valuable enzymes and vitamins. Drink it as you are getting ready for the day, about 15-30 minutes before breakfast for maximum benefit.
BONUS: Add a pinch of sea salt to your water all day long to help support the transport of water into your cells to boost your hydration status.
2) Bring in plenty of healthy fats.
Healthy fats play a variety of critical roles in our body. From managing inflammation and supporting our hormones to maintaining healthy cell structures and keeping us feeling full and satisfied, consuming the right kinds of fats is key for overall health. You can find healthy fats in foods like pasture raised egg yolks, avocados, and grass-fed butter.
Here’s an idea to get you started: For breakfast, melt ½ tablespoon of grass-fed butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add 2 pasture raised eggs and cook until the egg whites have become firm. Enjoy with buttered toast and blueberries for a simple, balanced breakfast.
3) Eat food, not products.
Focus on eating food that is, well, real. This means eating mainly foods that are just a single ingredient – an egg is just an egg. A good rule of thumb is to avoid eating things you see advertised on television. This will drastically reduce the amount of preservatives, artificial coloring, and additives you are consuming, which can all keep us from feeling our best.
How to make it easier: Focus your grocery shopping around the edges of the store. The aisles are where more processed, packaged foods are located.
4) Move your body.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “a body in motion stays in motion.” Culturally we’ve been programmed to think that means dedicated exercise. I’m here to break that mindset. Daily movement looks like taking your dog for a walk, vacuuming the house, and dancing to your favorite music while cooking dinner. Movement of all kinds is necessary to keep our bodies functioning happily.
Here’s an idea: Incorporate some stretching before bed while you watch your favorite tv show as a way to move your body and wind down.
5) Find what lights you up and go do it.
When we are living a life of authenticity, actively following our purposes and passions, we are nourished on level deeper than food can provide. This shows up in improved immunity, increased longevity, and an intangible radiance. Find what lights you up and go do it!
Taking care of you can occasionally feel indulgent and egocentric. But truly, it is just the opposite. When you are the best possible iteration of yourself, you are able to more freely give of yourself to the world around you. Combine that with a workable approach to a healthy lifestyle, and you’ve created a foundation for your best life yet.
