Start your healthy life plan today
4 Steps for creating your healthy life plan - starting today (don’t wait for New Year’s!)
You may have heard of the quote by Benjamin Franklin – “Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” If you take a minute to reflect on how precious – and finite - our life on this Earth really is, this is good advice for all of us. It’s important that we make the most of every minute. Doing things we love and spending time with the special people in our lives. After all, the truth is, we’re not going to live forever. And while many of us are living longer, we’re not always living healthier. Quality of life is so important.
The time to start your ‘healthy life plan’ is NOW
They say it’s never too late – and I think that’s true. The New Year is often a time when we draw the line in the sand and start making changes. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you start today, you’re ahead of the game! So what changes are you planning for? Whatever you decided to do, I strongly recommend:
Make sure your goals are realistic
Don’t set too many goals at once
New habits take time – so be patient with yourself
Reward yourself when you stick to your new routine – and don’t beat yourself up when you ‘fall off your horse’Then do a similar breathing exercise, but this time focus on breathing into the outside of your ribs. Imagine your ribs pushing out, then moving inward in a slow, controlled way.
Here are four ideas to activate a successful healthy life plan:
Commit to doing something every day
All of us need to keep moving. But if you happen to be over 40 years of age, now’s the time to focus on maintaining your fitness and not losing what you already have. The Department of Health recommendations are:
Do some exercise every day
Minimise the amount of time you sit
Aim for between 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week.
Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week. (Pilates is an excellent exercise to reach this goal.)
2. Find a friend who also wants to get healthy
Apparently, very few people who make New Year’s resolutions, actually keep them. (You didn’t need me to tell you that!) It’s often too easy to wriggle out of a training session at the gym or a vigorous walk around the park when you’re making the effort all by yourself.
Whether you’re waiting for the new year to start or deciding to begin tomorrow morning, finding a friend who’ll join you in your quest for a healthier you is a good way to keep motivated and committed. You could also try joining a small, local group of like-minded people who want to get fit.
The people I see at my Pilates classes sometimes come on their own and sometimes come with a friend. Another good alternative is to join a local walking group with a friend or neighbour. Chances are, even if you join on your own, you’ll make friends along the way.
3. Get enough sleep
There are thousands of studies showing the importance of good quality sleep for your health and well-being. Here are a few facts on sleep (sourced from a major survey from the Sleep Health Foundation):
Having less than 6 to 7 hours sleep on average each night may increase your risk of obesity
Sleep-deprived people tend to reach for ‘comfort food’ that’s high in fat and sugar – leading to weight increases
Sleep deprivation and sleep disturbances are associated with a whole range of undesirable health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, depression, stroke and reduced immunity – to name just a few.
4. Pretend every day is January 1st
Finally, imagine that you have the opportunity to start your healthy life afresh from the moment you wake up in the morning. Renewing your commitment to a healthier life each and every day takes the pressure off. If you didn’t do so well the day before (a little too much cake and hours on the couch watching Netflix), it doesn’t matter.
Tomorrow can be a new beginning.
For more advice on creating a healthier you, get in touch with us at Active Pilates.