Rather than limiting, restricting, or punishing yourself by saying I can’t do this or I can’t have this, why not try adding more positivity into your life? Here’s a list of 10 things you can add into your life for a healthier, happier, more mindful version of yourself…
Water-rich Eating
The adult body is made up of bout 60 percent water and being properly hydrated goes far past performance alone. Digestion, immunity, absorption, energy levels, all improve with water-rich dietary habits. Aside from drinking at least 2L of water per day– prioritize eating more water-rich foods.
Start thinking and loading up your grocery cart and fridge with a variety of fruits and vegetables and good things will happen (especially for those looking to lose weight…).
Protein Consumption with Every Meal
Whether you are lookin to build muscle to help you burn fat, trim down and be more toned, manage or release weight, or if you’re looking to build muscle, and fill out your shirt– in all cases, prioritizing higher, more frequent protein intake within your nutrition, will help towards any of the goals above..
Reading Daily for 30 Minutes
For all of what I write about and stand for advocating for working out, lifting weights, and prioritizing physical fitness, for my overall health and feeling better about myself, I could easily make the argument that reading, listening to podcasts, and meditation– all acts towards further self awareness and mindfulness– are just as important, possibly more...
Remember, your mind is like a muscle. Challenge it and it will grow strong and work for you or feed it garbage, such as constant disempowering thoughts or mindless Netflix series and it will deteriorate and stop working at it’s full capacity for you…
Having a Bedtime– and sticking to it!
When we were kids, most of us had a bed-time. Our parents ensured that we stuck to it and told us if we didn’t the next day we would be tired and grumpy and as it turns out, they were right. Unfortunately, somewhere along the lines, we no longer had anyone monitoring our bed-times and now, we are suffering for it.
Going to bed earlier means, more time spent in REM sleep, better recovery, more energy, increased focus, and utilizing more of the day so go back to your childhood, be your own parent and stick to your gosh-darn bed-time– or else…
Develop a Morning and Evening Ritual
It has been said that the first hour when we wake up and the last hour before we go to bed are generally most within our control. Not only that, but an awesome first hour of the day can put you in an elevated mood to carry positive momentum throughout your day, while a methodical last hour can have you recovered and ready for the next.
I’ll go deeper into this soon, but for now if you’re looking for an idea for a morning ritual, try the 20-20-20 method from one of my favorite authors, Robin Sharma, which includes:
- 20 minutes of mindfulness (mediation, journaling, or going for a walk in nature–without the headphones…)
- 20 minutes of learning (reading or insightful podcast)
- 20 minutes of physical activity (weight training, stretching, or going for a run)
Supplementation
Before going all out on this, seek direct help from a professional when it comes to nutrition as everyone is different– **disclaimer: this is not a recommendation by any means**.
What I can say is that myself and many of my clients have benefitted from properly recommended supplementation (after consulting with a Nutritionist). Here are some of the supplements my clients and I have used safely and most effectively in the past that you may benefit from looking further into:
- Protein supplement (utilized in shakes– morning and/or post workout)
- Multi-vitamin
- Fish oils
- Mixed Greens supplement
- Melatonin
- Fiber
Side-note: if your energy levels are consistently low and you eat healthy and workout regularly– a blood-test with your Doctor to see if you are iron deficient could also be very worth your time…
Start Using a Calendar
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again– keeping track of important dates, grocery lists, and daily to-do’s in your head is not a good idea when it comes to managing stress or sleeping well at night. So, I’ll keep this simple: Set up and start using a calendar.
Like any change at the start, this will take some getting used to, but I promise it will be worth it. Being more organized will free up your time to do more of what you love, and take the clutter out of your mind to stay present while you enjoy those newfound activities…
Work out with Weights 3 times per week
Trust me when I say, this is not just for your physical health– it will reflect positively with your mental health if you make this a priority. More confidence, energy, strength, bone density, focus, stress-relief, I could go on and on. Lift some weights– both for your body and your mind…
Male or female, 25 or 75, for weight loss or for muscle gain, for performance, daily function, or strictly to prevent injuries — proper weight training (just like regular stretching, cardiovascular work, and eating healthy) is an essential part of being healthier and achieving your fitness goals…
Walking in Nature
In Japanese culture, it has been said that Doctors often advise activities such as: walking in nature, journaling, and grounding (putting your hands in the earth’s soil to further connect with nature), to help people under stress. Meanwhile in the West, before you finish your sentence, we likely have a medication ready for you. I think the Japanese’s got it right on this one…
Take a note from Eastern Culture and go for a walk in the forest or by the water– and leave the headphones and the cell phone at home for further presence and increased gratitude– trust me on this one…
Journal
How was your day? What happened? How did you react? Would you react in the same way in the future or is there something you would have done different? What are you grateful for today?
Self reflection is the mother to self-awareness while gratitude is the father to joy…
Coach
Closing
Today’s article was meant for ideas for a healthier you. To make you think, ponder, and reflect, however, if you’re truly looking for positive change in your life– take action. I’m not saying all at once, in fact, 1-3 of these to focus on for the next 3 months is plenty.
The question to ask yourself is, which one of these do I believe would give me the highest return on happiness? Once you have your answer, go and do it.
If you enjoyed this article, make sure to check out other past articles such as: Work Life Balance and stay tuned for more...