5 Healthy Habits to Start Today

Health and wellness goes beyond physical appearance  – well being begins with healthy habits incorporated into your daily lifestyle. The older I get, the more focus I put on my personal wellness and developing long term, healthy habits that will benefit both body and mind. Although I’m no health professional, I’ve found that in general small changes in lifestyle lead to lasting results. Here are 5 healthy habits I’ve tried to incorporate regularly into my lifestyle that I have found to help my body and mind.

5 Healthy Habits To Start Today:

1. Drink water.

Duhh. Up to 60% of our bodies are made of water. I aim to drink one ounce per every pound I weigh every day. I always up my water intake BIG TIME when I’m doing a weekend detox. Extreme? I don’t think so. Water is the best beverage out there for you. Period. I keep a liter size water bottle at my desk, in my purse, in my car…

I promise, if you drink more water you will:

– Be more alert. Before you reach for another cup of coffee, first chug a glass of water and see how you feel. We often don’t realize how dehydrated we are and mistake dehydration for fatigue. 

– Be more in tune with your cravings. Same thing goes for hunger – it’s easy to confuse hunger and thirst. If you’re having pesky cravings, have a glass of water before choosing a snack – you’re more likely to make a healthy choice, or realize that you may not have been hungry after all.

– See an improvement in the texture of your skin. I’m no dermatologist, BUT I have noticed a correlation between the amount of water I drink and how my skin looks and feels. If you’ve ever been on a plane, you know what I’m talking about. The morning after a night of drinking? Your skin is probably rebelling. Also, living in an extremely dry climate sucks the moisture of your skin, so drink up! 

– Have to go to pee more. Ha. 

2. Write down everything you eat.

I know, you’re probably thinking I’m a psycho. But hear me out – if you work a full time job that involves sitting down at a desk for the majority of your day, you’re probably not the most active person.

You don’t have to do this everyday, but it’s a helpful exercise to understand exactly what you’re eating and when you’re eating it. Keeping a log of what you eat, even if it’s only a week, helps you identify patterns such as when cravings hit or if you’re waiting too long in between meals.

Keep yourself accountable – you might be surprised how quickly little bites and snacks here and there add up. It’s a little crazy and OCD, but I largely credit this as one of the healthy habits responsible for maintaining a steady weight despite sitting down in front of a computer for 10 hours a day and only working out 2-3x a week.

3. Wear SPF.

I have talked about the importance of wearing SPF every. single. day. and I will say it again – for the sake of your future self and skin, wear SPF!! You will NOT regret this in 10 years.

4. Eat fats.

Fats are the BEST. I could do an entire post on my love for fats. They are SO GOOD FOR YOU. The negative myths on fats have been largely dispelled, but it is amazing how many people still shy away from them. People, fats are the bomb.com: they keep you full longer and nourish your body from the inside out. I swear my skin glows when I eat more fats. 

My favorite fats include avocados (one of my favorite foods ever), eggs WITH the yolk, almond butter, and wild caught salmon. If you eat dairy, I prefer full fat dairy – yes there are more calories, but recent studies have suggested that full fat dairy may be better for you than low-fat.

5. Be Mindful

Meditate – even if only for a few minutes a day. Meditation has been shown to reduce stress, improve concentration, and increase happiness. In fact, studies show that meditation can actually change your brain. I also try to write down three things a day that I’m grateful for. It doesn’t have to be big – the mere act of practicing gratitude can lead to a more positive mood, self-awareness, and being more compassionate. A healthy mind feeds a healthy body and soul. 

At the end of the day, I’m human. I am the furthest thing from perfect and I have to remind myself on a daily basis to incorporate healthy habits. Don’t even get me started on the pile of clothes on the ground that never seems to disappear, no matter how hard I try…

Building healthy habits take time but if you stick with them the results are always worth it. I know we’re 6 months out of our New Year’s Resolutions, but I’d love to hear your thoughts. What habits have you been trying to incorporate into your life or break? I’m always open to suggestions.

xx, Amy