When people think about getting healthy, it’s most often about losing weight, which then leads to calorie restriction or cutting out carbs or sugar. But what if you could get healthy by adding, not restricting?
Diet culture has told us that we need to restrict to reach our health goals, but what if we flipped that? Instead of taking things away or punishing ourselves to get “healthier,” what if we started to think about what we can add into our lives to start feeling better in our bodies, instead of just trying to make ourselves smaller?
It can be freeing to get healthy by adding not restricting. And the best way to do it is slowly, one habit at t time.
4 Ways to get healthy by adding, not restricting:
1. Drink more water:Realistically, how much water are you drinking? Most of us could probably use more, right? Start your morning with a glass of water. Put water bottles in rooms you’re in a lot and even in the car. Even better, get a cup with a straw. Then every time you are there, take a sip. Drinking more water has so many great benefits! (Below is one of my favourite cups, keeps the water cold, and fits in a cup holder!)
2. Eat more vegetables and greens:
Veggies and greens give you more added vitamins, minerals and fibre that your body needs. Try adding more veggies to one more of your meals. And it doesn’t just need to be raw or boiled, vegetables can be cooked in so many ways and they can taste great!
3. Exercise and Movement:When you think of exercise, is it only to burn calories or lose weight? If so, most probably you won’t be able to sustain it long term. Try a new type of exercise that makes you excited, like zumba, hiking or strength training. Do it because you enjoy it, it makes you stronger, makes you feel good, relieves stress. This way, you look forward to exercise, not dread it.
4. Get more sleepI know this can be a hard one, especially as a parent, but it’s so important. Not enough sleep can impact so many areas of your life without you even realizing it. If you don’t know where to start, here are 5 Tips for a Better Nights Sleep.
That’s it, just 4 habits to add into your life. And don’t try them all at once. Pick one that you think will be the easiest to incorporate and work on that. Once you have it down, start on another one. Doing it slowly can be frustrating, but it gives you the best chance at keep it going for the long term.
Which habit will you try adding first?
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Here’s a full workout with only 1 dumbbell
