5 micro-habits to jumpstart your wellness journey

5 micro-habits to jumpstart your wellness journey

Tell me if this resonates: you know in your mind that you should be eating well, sleeping well, exercising, yada yada yada. But knowing a thing and DOING a thing are NOT THE SAME are they?

I'm right there with you- it can be challenging to look at the whole picture of health and wellness and identify a place to start. So in that spirit, here are a few ideas centered on evidence-based healthy habits that you can consider starting today! (Pro tip: pick one or two to start with and then add-in, nice and slow.)

SLEEP

We've all heard that getting 7-8 hours a night is ideal. However, it can be a big challenge for many of us juggling work, play, family, life, etc. We know all the sleep hygiene tips like dim lights, minimizing snacks

Try this: Treat yourself to 30 minutes of screen-free time before bed. Use this time to read, meditate, take a gentle walk, or any other non-screen activity. If 30 minutes seems like a lot, start with 15!

EATING WELL

To keep the metabolism going strong, we KNOW need to eat often & choose a variety of foods. We are encouraged to eat a wide variety of colors of produce & a variety of plant and animal-based protein. These guidelines will assist with managing high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes & over all body composition. HOWEVER, real life happens as do dinners on the run, cravings, holidays, parties.... you get the picture. AND THAT'S OK!

Try this: Identify ONE place in your day of eating where you could add ONE fruit or vegetable that you like. That's it! Add some blueberries to breakfast, grab carrot sticks to go with lunch....See how it goes.

MOVEMENT

Physical activity guideline for Americans recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. That means you get your heartrate up a bit but are still able to have a conversation or hum a tune. Many of us look at that number and feel VERY intimidated. How do you find an extra 150 minutes?

Try this: Are there any small places in your day where you can add just 5-10 minutes of movement? Sure, it can be the gym, but it can also be a dance party in your kitchen to a favorite song or going around the block with a 4-legged buddy or a 10 minute yoga video on youtube...get creative and just allow yourself to move in a way that feels joyful. See how it goes!

HYDRATION

Maybe you've heard that dehydration can be mistaken as hunger signals and may lead to fatigue. You may have also heard advice like "drink half your body weight in fluid ounces. Water is best. Limit sugary drinks, coffee and alcohol" etc. But how?

Try this: Put a full glass of water by your bed at night. When you wake up in the morning, drink it! There! You're off to a great start! Remember also that sparkling water is WATER so if you're a fan, drink up. You can also incorporate water-rich foods like watermelon, grapes, cucumbers, tomatoes...there are a lot of options! Other micro-habits could be adding a little flavor to a big bottle of water, setting timers throughout the day to drink or even pairing a reward with staying hydrated...like everytime you empty your water bottle you pause for a dance break :)

SELF-CARE

You are worth the time. READ THAT AGAIN.

This idea of "self-care" is everywhere these days- for good reason. We're discovering that simply slowing down and treating yourself the way you would treat a loved one in terms of care and feeding can work WONDERS. So not only are all of the tips above steps towards a healthy life, they are also a form of self-care. But self-care can look lots of different ways.

Try this: Set a timer on your phone for 2 minutes. Find a comfortable sitting, standing or laying down position. Close down or soften your eyes. Start to notice your breath. Then simply ask "what do I need?" Then pause in silence, breathing and see what comes up. Is it water? Is it food? Is it a nap? Or is it something bigger? Do you need to have a difficult conversation that you've been putting off? Do you need an evening of binging Netflix or hanging out with friends? Jot down your answer and make a plan to act on it. All of this is self-care.

Health and wellness are PRACTICES, not "PERFECTS." Remember that any steps you take, no matter how small, matters in the grand scheme of things. Every little bit counts- on this journey NO effort is wasted.

I believe in you!

xoxo,

janean