I’d like to ask you a question. Are there any lifestyle habits you want to change this year? The truth is that as time moves forward and technology advances, the convenience of our lives just gets easier. Food you can microwave in minutes, Amazon Prime that can have things delivered to your door in a matter of hours, and transport making it easier to get from A to B. However, our lifestyle choices can lean towards the speed and convenience, but with that comes a detrimental effect on our health and well being. Sometimes we can get drawn into the advances of life and we think less about our lifestyle choices, but going back to basics in some aspects can be fulfilling and can also help us to feel the best we possibly can.
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This time of year especially means that we can often find ourselves setting goals of the changes that we want to make in our lives, and many of them have a lot to do with our lifestyle, our health and feeling better about ourselves. Getting into the best shape of our lives both physically and mentally will only ever have a positive effect on your life. We can all agree that to be fit, to eat the right foods, and to physically and mentally be capable are all great things in our lives, but you may have some blockers in your way stopping you achieving those things. So if some of your lifestyle habits need addressing here are some of the things to consider changing.
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The things that you eat
Convenience is quick and easy and there is no hiding from that fact. But going back to basics with raw and organic ingredients and cooking fresh is always going to be the best option when it comes to your health and diet. Too much convenience can cause health problems in the future, and if you are wanting to feel better often looking at your diet as a first action can pinpoint some of the problems you might be experiencing. Plant based diets, eating organically, they can all help, but start but making simple changes such as adding more fresh produce to your diet and take it from there. Many people are so tempted to start diets at this time of the year. They want to lose the pounds quickly, look at detoxes and make some real physical changes, but often this is just not sustainable on a long term thing. Instead, focusing on a balanced diet can help you to understand the food groups that you’re body needs to function, and to allow you to slowly get into the shape that will last and have you fully energized and looking good.
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How active you are
Being active can be a great way to feed your mind and feel good about yourself. It isn’t about being in a gym, unless that is your thing, it is just about being active in general on a daily basis. Walking somewhere instead of driving. Taking on a new hobby like running, or a local class somewhere. Often the hardest thing to do is start when it comes to exercise, and at this time of year, the weather and temperature certainly doesn’t help. It might be a good idea to look into a smartwatch or tracker that can help you stay accountable and also track the progress you make. This can be an excellent motivator to keep you going. Reading the Ravingtrends’ Xwatch Article could be a good place to start. Let’s not forget the positive effect it can have on your mindset. The mental aspect is refreshing and the activity can be great for your physical health. Not to mention the energy boost. We can forget the little things, like walking in the fresh air, can actually be soothing and good for the soul.
Work on your mindset
Our minds are such a powerful tool, and often we don’t realise how much we are impacted by our thoughts and how we feel until we start to focus on them more clearly. It can often be the small things such as a negative through process, a dim outlook on life or not feeling very grateful for the things that you do have that can make the biggest difference. Turning into a positive person when you may be more negative will be a hard thing to do, so don’t expect huge changes overnight. If you want to focus on your mindset then take small and actionable steps and create new habits. Start with gratitude. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have to start to feel happy and grateful for all the good in your life. Maybe keep a journal and actively write down each day the good things that happened, or focus on three positives that you are grateful for. You can then progress son to turning in negative outlooks into positive ones and also speaking more positively with the choice of words you use. Your mind can control other aspects of your life, so a mindset change could be the best thing you do this year. You could also try methods like meditation that might help you to achieve your goals.
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Making conscious decisions with your purchases
We are too much about convenience and speed these days and less about thinking where things are made or where things come from. So a good change of habit it to be more conscious with your purchases. Buying fresh vegetables from your green grocer, supporting the local charities, it can all be very refreshing and uplifting and helping you to make better decisions about where things come from. There is a lot of focus right now on sustainable living, and people are hoping to look at plant-based diets and try out challenges like Veganuary, or even just doing their bit when it comes to recycling or reducing the amount of waste or plastic you have in your home. Small changes can start to make a big difference, especially if more people get on board. Maybe your change this year is all about these types of habits you want to break?
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Drinking more water
This one needs a paragraph all on its own because this one lifestyle change can make a difference in many ways to your life and how you feel. For starters, water is nature’s natural detox, so it enables you body to flush out any bad toxins that are lurking. You can also find that it can give you an energy boost, aid with sleep, improve your skin condition and generally have you feeling in better shape, just because you are drinking more of it. Cut out the caffeinated drinks in the process and you will start to see a massive difference.
Your lifestyle choices
Your lifestyle choices can mold you into who you are, so don’t delay on making a more informed decisions when it comes to your physical health, your mental well being and your thoughts and beliefs. Taking back the control and coming away from convenience and speed every now and again will remind you how you want to live your life moving forward. Placing a focus on the lifestyle rather than the specific changes can help you to make the small and impactful habits that will help mold your life into what you want it to be. Don’t delay in just making one small change today if you think that it is something that you can stick at and it will have a positive effect on you.
Let’s hope these tips and suggestions will help you to make some incredible lifestyle habits this year and have you ending the year looking and feeling your very best.
Read more lifestyle articles at ClichéMag.com
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