5 Steps For A Healthier Week
My philosophy on health is that it should be simple. There is so much information on nutrition that often contradicts itself, it can be very overwhelming. My practice is based around the idea that implementing small habit changes to your daily life can have a large overall impact on your health.
Often when people want to start taking their health more seriously they don’t know where to start. You don’t need to do a fad diet, get a gym membership, or shop at an overpriced health food store.
Here are a few simple tips to help get you started. If this even seems overwhelming, start with just one and overtime work your way up to achieving all 5. The most important thing when it comes to taking control of your health is to move at your own pace. That’s how new habits form that feel realistic to keep.
Set Goals
Getting clear on what you actually want to accomplish is critical when you’re working on anything in life, but especially with health. At the beginning of every week I write down at least 3 goals related to my career, health, and personal life (I keep these super general). I think of these as small action steps that contribute to my overall goals. For example, if losing weight is your overall goal then write out 3 things you can do this week to help you get there. Maybe it’s working out 2 days, going on a daily walk, or eating 5 home cooked meals. This will give you a clear direction for the week and will help fill your time with meaningful actions.
Prep Food
Plan out your meals for the week and prepare as many things as possible at once to ease your load during the week. Pick a protein that you can eat in a salad for lunch every day. Chop toppings for salads and keep in jars. Roast a ton of vegetables that you can easily reheat for dinner, or throw into a scramble. This may requiring more planning than you care for, but if you have mostly made meals it makes it a lot easier to actually eat what you buy. This will also save you a ton of time and money.
Create a Schedule
Make a schedule that includes deadlines, work outs, meals, bed time, and any other general tasks. Listing everything out that you need to do for the week with an assigned time will keep you on track with your goals. Writing down work deadlines and giving yourself ample time to meet them will help elevate stress and keep your priorities straight. Planning out meal times makes it easier to avoid snacking because you know when your next eating time is. Going to bed every night at the same time helps signal to your body that it’s time to rest and shut off. Adding time to your week to clean, read, or even rest will help you stay motivated and avoid burn out. Your schedule should relate back to the goals you set.
Eat At Home
Aim to eat 80-85% of your meals at home. This may seem obvious, but it’s so much healthier (and cheaper) to eat at home. You can control your portions, how the food is prepared, and avoid unnecessary temptation a.k.a. the bread basket. Eating majority of your meals at home will also mentally make you feel better for the times you do eat out. Life happens and there is always a reason to celebrate or you maybe just need a night out with friends. When you eat clean for majority of the week, you will feel better about ordering that pasta you love, and actually be able to enjoy it guilt free.
Move Your Body
Again, this may seem obvious but it’s often overlooked. Plan to do something physical 5-6 days of the week. That doesn't mean you need to do HIIT or cardio every one of those days. On the days you are feeling lazy do something simple like gentle yoga or going for a walk. As long as you are moving your body, it counts.