When you decide to start a healthy lifestyle, you may not know where to begin. On the surface it sounds simple, but the reality is that making a lifestyle change can be easier said than done. We are outlining the definition of a lifestyle change and the steps you can take to support your health goals.
What is Lifestyle Change?
Your lifestyle includes the behaviors you have grown accustomed to over the course of your life such as your:
Level of physical activity
dietary habits Hydration habits
Sleep routines
Stress management methods
plus more So, making a lifestyle change means that you are adjusting your habits, actions and patterns that align with a healthier life. You are incorporating more nutritious foods into your diet. You are drinking more water each day. You are practicing healthier ways to deal with stress. And so forth. How to Start a Healthy Lifestyle
The biggest challenge for many of us isn’t whether or not we want to start changing some of our unhealthy lifestyle habits. Being “stuck,” or unsure of where to begin, is the issue. So, we are perpetually thinking about making changes but not taking action.
The key to getting past this phase of “thinking about” making healthy lifestyle changes is to get specific. Start thinking on a small scale, rather than thinking big. Even small day-to-day behavior replacements can help build a healthier lifestyle. Getting started with a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be hard. Let’s look at simple ways to make it happen.
- Understand why you are doing it. Ask yourself why you want to make these changes in the first place. Even if your doctor has advised you to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, or improve other aspects of your health, he or she probably hasn’t provided you with a comprehensive strategy for doing so. Also, only you know how improving your lifestyle will reflect in your life. By making healthy lifestyle changes will you be able to be more active, get off medications, or decrease symptoms such as headaches, sleep issues, or other areas of your health?
Lifestyle changes can not only improve your weight or lab results, they can also improve your overall quality of life. - Make the promise. Have you tried to make changes before without much success? It’s important to know that this is not a strict diet or workout regimen as you start a healthy lifestyle. It’s a long-term commitment, and there will be ups and downs. However, if you maintain your healthy habits, they will eventually result in significant changes to your health. Sustainability is the ultimate goal.
- Create a clear goal.
Even if you have big plans for making changes in your life, don’t be tempted to set a large, ambiguous goal such as “getting healthier” or “eating better.” These are empty statements and not goals.
