Welcome to April! It’s the month of longer sunny days as Spring has officially sprung.
If you haven’t been able to make headway into your new year’s resolutions or new year’s goals now is the perfect time to start. Spring is the time of renewal, growth and endless possibilities. In our blog New Year, Renewed Nourishment we discussed healthy habits to consider for the start of the new year. Now is as good as a time as ever to continue to work on those habits or to begin from scratch. Research has shown that it takes an average of 66 days to form a habit. Habits don’t have to be monumental steps. Habits can be small changes that we make each day that slowly build over time.
Drink Your Water
Let’s take hydration for example. We all know how important it is to drink water, yet far too many of us don’t drink enough water. We might set a goal to drink eight glasses a day. At the end of each day, we may find we have only drunk four glasses of water and that our other beverages consisted of coffee and sugary juices or soft drinks. Despite wanting to reach our goal we find it very challenging to get all the way there. Progress is still success though! We want to focus on making progress toward the goal, not just achieving it outright. So, what can we do about this to make sure get closer to hitting our goal? We can implement small habits and systems that make it easier to consume water. One way we can go about this is by making it more accessible. If we keep a glass (or bottle) of water by our bed, we make it easier to have it be our first beverage of choice in the morning. Keeping a bottle by our bathroom vanity might remind us to drink after brushing our teeth or before showering. If you enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning you can keep water by your coffee maker to remind yourself to hydrate before you caffeinate.
Small systems like this will remind you of your goal and make water more readily accessible. The more often you see water in reach the more likely you are to reach for it and consume it. After a while it will become a healthy habit that is like second nature.
Eat Well
Healthy eating is another habit that may be challenging to adopt. Healthy eating requires thought, organization and preparation. Healthy eating must be intentional. Otherwise it is so much easier to grab something quick and easy from the drive thru, which is unfortunately not the healthiest or cheapest option for us. We encourage healthy systems such as meal planning and having quick on hand recipes that make the process of cooking less challenging.
Cooking can be time consuming but the truth is it doesn’t always have to be. Fresh and healthy meals are possible even with only the use of a microwave. Check out these two videos for ideas on how to make quick and easy, fresh healthy meals.
You can also check our recipe database for an assortment of healthy meals including others that can be easily adapted for cooking with a microwave.
Move More
Healthy moves can be made into a habit by implementing simple reminders. If your goal is to reach 10,000 steps per day you can start by breaking it up into smaller increments. Start your morning with a glass of water and walk around your home for 15 minutes before you shower or brush your teeth. Need a midday break? Take a ten-minute walk after lunch to stretch and get your endorphins up. Take the stairs whenever possible instead of the elevator. If you head to the stores, consider parking further away from the entrance to get more steps in. Chatting on the phone? Pacing back and forth will keep your momentum going while allowing you to hold a conversation. A brisk after dinner walk can help with digestion and allow you to get some air and get some energy back. All of these changes may not be possible but even adding one or two into your routine will have major health benefits. You might not reach 10,000 steps daily, but you will be incorporating more movement than you might typically.
Making healthy habits doesn’t need to be a big overload. By making small 1% changes daily you can build on each habit slowly and maintain consistency. The goal is to make habits that stick and continue to grow slowly over time rather than short quick bursts of motivation which may fizzle out quickly. Start today. There’s no better time than the present and such a great season to begin.
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