Motivated, excited and determined; that’s how I began my search when I decided it was time to get fit and healthy.
A few moments later…
I was filled with confusion, overwhelm and paranoia. Funny how the Internet can do that to you right?
The amount of information floating around about food, exercise and overall wellness is enough to make newbies and fit foodies alike feel confused and overwhelmed. The internet is saturated with so many opinions, studies and marketing efforts but when we actually want to make healthy changes, we have no idea where to start. Well you might start with Google, obviously, but after your “how to be healthy” search returns with a gazillion results you switch to the Pinterest tab on your screen and ignore the headache of information waiting for you.
A few hours pass and you finally feel brave enough to take a peek at the search results before going to lunch. Then you see an article about how fruit is bad for you and then another post about how some people eat only fruit, then meat is bad for you but another post says it’s great, then supposedly there are grains that can kill you but others say they’re necessary to thrive… the amount of conflicting information never ends. So you finally close the tab, shiver a little, and decide to skip lunch altogether.
Ah, memories. I clearly remember thinking it would be easier to not care and go on with my love affair with chips, drive thru, ice cream and all of the baked goods. And so I did. But I quickly realized (mostly after gaining almost twenty pounds) that my decision wasn’t sustainable so I knew I had to try again.
If you want to start your fit journey but feel too overwhelmed, DON’T TALK YOURSELF OUT OF IT. JUST START.
If you’re on the verge of quitting your health journey because it’s too hard and confusing, DON’T QUIT. KEEP GOING.
I’ve done both things, quit and talk myself out of getting healthy, and it’s not worth it. Sometimes it’s easier and more realistic to KEEP IT SIMPLE AND TAKE IT BACK TO THE BASICS. As you get these next things down (which are powerful, easy and FREE!) you’ll eventually gain momentum and you’ll be able to kick start your health journey and face Google search results like a boss.
GET HEALTHY ASAP. THREE EASY, POWERFUL (AND FREE!) THINGS TO DO NOW.
- SLEEP MORE. Sleep supports healthy brain function, emotional well-being and physical health and most people don’t get enough of it. Sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and so many more terrible issues. Easiest way to start getting healthy is simple (you literally have to lay down and do nothing!).
- CUT OUT PROCESSED JUNK. This is food that’s loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. Food that you can order at a window in your car, most boxed or frozen packages at the grocery store, candies, pastries and soda… these things do nothing good for you. I’m not saying to never eat these things; I’m saying they shouldn’t make up the bulk of any diet.
- MOVE YOUR BODY. Even 20-30 minutes of walking per day can help control your weight, fight disease and improve mood. It’s easy, free and can provide some much needed time away from sitting in front of bright screens all day. If you don’t have the energy to walk for a half hour everyday then go for a walk anyway… walking also boosts your energy. And if you hate running or going to the gym then don’t do those things, just walk, skip, jump… whatever, just move your body!
So if you’re worried about which super food you should be eating, whether going vegan will help you lose weight or if skinny teas actually work but you’re only sleeping 3 hours per night, eating tortillas everyday and not willing to break a sweat then it’s time to slow it down a bit. These things may sound very simple but they are among the bare basics to get healthy and fit. If you consistently sleep more, cut out processed junk and begin to move your body you’re setting up a strong base to make lasting changes.
You’ve got this. Don’t give up. And if you’re not sure about getting started then feel free to book an evening at a spa and count it as “sleeping more.” There, you conquered the hardest part and started. Now you just have to keep going.
