How do you start lifestyle changes? For me it was a step by step approach that started with realising that something had to give. You start by one small step – which leads to bigger changes. How? To get started you need inspiration, a plan, a starting point and a goal. It has to be for you – and the gain and goal is yours to set. Read on and I’ll show you how!
Lifestyle Changes: Finding a starting point
My excuses got tackled and ‘the why’ was found, and a new way forward 
seemed possible. Time was being wasted before, but now I was actually feeling life coming back again. So much so that an inner voice was telling me that more change was possible too. Finally it dawned on me that I had made a really good choice – for me!
How to start lifestyle changes was a process. One that became an unstoppable one – a life changing one. After days became weeks, a pattern started to emerge and a new me – an energetic, lively me came back. The small steps became bigger ones – and the actual proof is in the fact that I have found a whole new life from this one first small step.
Lifestyle changes: Wellness is the goal
How to start making lifestyle changes asks you to set a goal – a goal for you. To get to the goal you first need to understand why you need lifestyle changes in the first place. Then you need inspiration. After that a plan, and real planning will lead you on your path to wellness.
First step – Make a plan
Inspiration leads to action. Action needs a plan. Plan your work and work the plan. For this is ‘work’ – but the gain and the goal is yours.
Second step – Measure your health statusStart by measuring where you are at now. Get a health check up to know what your medical values are, and if there are any health issues you need to take into account before embarking on any lifestyle change in food, exercise or health supplements. With your lab results and Doctors OK, you have a starting point.
Climb up on the scales and write down your weight. Stand up tall against a wall and measure your height (you will be surprised how much taller you stand in just a few months!). Use apps or internet sites to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) . The numbers are just that – numbers. A starting point. The goals can now be set so that you get more energy for all your daily activities.
Third step – Set your Lifestyle health goalsWith your basic numbers in place you can set your lifestyle health goals. These should be long-term and achievable. A few steps every day, goes a very long way!
The choice is yours!
- One goal can be ideal weight. This is to get you a starting point – not to make you pushed and stressed. There are some very good tools on the web that can help you here too. Remember that the aim is to get healthy, and weight is just a measurement.
- Food knowledge and its effect on your health is key to your long-term health. Follow my blog, use my fitness food recipes, and see my tips on how to deal with food in the field. Find the joy of getting energy and fuel for your work and life.
- Exercise is a key to overall fitness and here it is good to measure again. I use a tools that spur me on and, I gladly share these in the toolbox section of this blog. A pedometer to measure steps taken and kilometres achieved, and apps to see how much the movements each day put me closer to my goal.
- Take note of how many hours sleep you manage to get in each night. Set a goal to get at least 6 – 8 hours each night. Read this blog to find ways to get there. Not always easy, I know – but I have managed, and so can you.
- Be true to yourself, and write down how much you smoke and drink. We all have habits that we instinctively know not to be that good. Alcohol and smoking are tricky ‘friends’ – so yes….set a goal to work on these habits too!
- Reading something inspirational everyday can also take you into the zone of reducing stress, moving away from your days activities and allow you to have precious me – time. I cover this aspect more in my posts, as it is essential to overall wellbeing.
- Take a good look in the mirror. Take a picture of what you look like today. Visualise
what you want to see in 6 months, a year, two years. Set a goal to take pictures as you go along to document how your lifestyle goals change you inside out. A visible difference that you can feel through every part of your body and mind. Enjoy the recommendations on products, websites, and apps that work with you to make you look and feel like the new you. And – while some of you would not think it possible to get certain items where you are based, The GOODista has especially researched which ones work and which do not.
Work your lifestyle change plan
How to start on your lifestyle change journey will make you find your inner voice, that drives you forward to set the plan in motion. Subscribe to The GOODista, tackle the excuses, and use tools to help you on your way. “Today is the first day of my new tomorrows” was my mantra. What is yours?
” A goal without a plan is just a wish.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A GOOD goal!
Recommended and Related:
- How much sleep do you need?’ – helpguide.org
- The effects of smoking and alcohol on the body – livestrong.com
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