How to Get New Year Healthy without Spending a Lot of Money
Brace yourself for “wellness season”! AKA when everyone tells you the trendy ways you can get healthy and feel your best. And while there are definitely some cool brands and products out there, after 8 years in wellness, I can tell you there are four rather easy and simple ways you can approach this and feel a million times better before you drop a ton of cash on those trends!
ONE: DRINK WATER
Drink water. Seriously, if you are not drinking 8 cups of water a day – do this first before you buy another thing, program, or coach. Water is essential to everything your body needs to do. Every function needs water, including digestion and proper use of nutrients, and elimination! Helping this process along, alone, will completely change your life. 8 cups, or 64 oz, is the general goal, but you can also get more tailored recommendations based on your lifestyle from your doc. I also include herbal tea toward this goal, so if you need something different to break up the day – you can try some chamomile, dandelion, or whatever blend you enjoy. You can also add fruits (strawberries and lemons are my go to, chia seeds (adds a cool bubble tea effect), or powders that have nutrients and natural flavors added, or make a smoothie and add a cup or so of water to it — to help change it up and make you more likely to drink.
TWO: EAT JUST A LITTLE LESS JUNK
Michael Pollan said, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” and he is right. Do most of your grocery shopping around the perimeter of your store, and replace processed foods with the real deal where you can. If you want to have something from your pantry, make an effort to find an option with less ingredients and less processing. Alternatively, start by adding something awesome TO it like a piece of fruit or carrot sticks.
The way I do this with my clients is to take an approach of adding in. That means, add in the good stuff or make swaps – before completely removing a food you’ve been enjoying. The goal is not to completely alter your lifestyle or habits right away, but to continue to add in the good until the not so great naturally falls off. If you can add in a handful of greens each day, a piece of fruit, ultimately leading to greens with every meal and a 50% reduction in processed foods – you will notice the difference!!
THREE: FILL IN THE GAPS WITH VITAMINS
While I am to get most of my vitamins and minerals from food, the sad truth is that our soil is very different than it once was and so are our diets. So even if you are eating perfectly, which again, many of us are not…a multivitamin at the least, and maybe a few tailored recommendations specific to your lifestyle and goals, at the most – could really change the game for you!
I use a multivitamin to make up for the nutrients I am lacking from my everyday food. I take just a few vitamins and minerals each day that help with either specific functions where I need support, or where I know a little bit of help could fill in the nutrient blanks and give me everything that my body needs to function at its best. I think of it this way – plants can survive on sunlight and water, right? But fertilizer helps. 🙂
Look for an affordable option that is whole foods-based. IE the nutrients come from foods and are not synthetic.
FOUR: MOVE, JUST A LITTLE
Eventually, sure – it’s great to have a regular exercise routine. To start – I’m just asking you to intentionally move once a day. A walk after dinner, some squats while you brush your teeth, some jumping jacks with the kids to get all of their energy out before bed. Just start. Once you start – the feel good hormones will take over and push you to find a routine that you can enjoy doing each day your body is ready for it.
Certainly there are benefits to finding programs and coaches that are tailored to your lifestyle and needs but my friends, THIS is the foundation for success and where you need to start – for cheap! – before you have to invest a ton of time and money into trends and digital downloads that sit on your desktop for months unused. Get the ball rolling here first and this will motivate you to put something more formal into place. When you’re already feeling good, you are going to naturally be drawn to continuing the momentum.
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.